


You're my Little Secret

by loveless_klark



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Endgame Clarke Griffin/Lexa, F/F, Forbidden Love, Grounder Clarke Griffin, More tags to be added, Opposite of slowburn, Secret Relationship, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22104154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveless_klark/pseuds/loveless_klark
Summary: "Your Skaikru are lousy. They do not care for their people.""Their criminals, Lexa. They only care about themselves." Clarke leaned back and toyed idly with her knife. "That's why we were sent down here instead of anyone else. We're expendable.""It doesn't sound like your leaders care very much for their people either." Lexa twirled her own knife in one hand. "I can't say I disapprove of them sending prisoners, but it was not a well-thought-out plan. They sent children. The people will not approve.""Good. Maybe they'll find better leaders." Clarke tilted her head thoughtfully. "Perhaps they can be convinced to join the Kongeda. You'd lead them better than they lead themselves.""I'm glad you think so highly of me, but you'd first need to inform your people of our existence. You've had good reason to keep it hidden with the- what do you call them?- delinquents in such disarray, but they must know before the rest come down."Clarke snorted. "Because they'd be so happy that I've kept an entire population hidden from them."*Impending rewrite*
Relationships: Anya/Raven Reyes, Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 69
Kudos: 403





	1. Hallucinating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm aware that I have four other ongoing works. I'll finish those at some point, I promise. Just not anytime soon.
> 
> Anyway, I've recently been rewatching the 100 series (last time I never made it past season two) and I've become obsessed with the Clexa relationship. In and out of canon (though fuck Jroth for ruining my OTP) and decided to make my own contribution. I remember reading a work like this a long time ago but I could never find it again so I decided to write my own.
> 
> This isn't going to be slowburn at all, I intend to have their relationship form fairly quickly, and it likely won't have much angst either, but I'll do my best to make it entertaining. Reviews are always appreciated, hope you enjoy!

**“We’re back, bitches!”**  
People flood out of the dropship, eager to finally set foot on the Earth they’d only ever imagined. Clarke stepped off the ramp, her eyes scanning the land around them. She couldn’t help the grin that stretched over her face and the small laugh that escaped her lips. The sky and the trees and the dirt, the colors were so much more vivid than they’d ever been in the dusty old books on the Ark.

  
Curse her resourceful mind, Clarke’s awe quickly turned to worry. How would a hundred inexperienced teenagers be able to survive on a radiation-soaked earth with no supplies, no idea how to get food or water, and no idea what was even out there? Not to mention that these were teens; they’d rather live in the moment than live past the next few weeks.

  
Clarke opened up a map fetched from the few supplies they did have. According to the Chancellor, they were supposed to be landing at Mount Weather, where they would find enough supplies to survive and maybe even people. Looking around them, they were not at all on a mountain. Flat land all around the landing site, the only mountains being miles in the distance. 

  
“Lucky we didn’t die in a fiery explosion, huh?” Clarke rolled her eyes, turning to raise an eyebrow at Finn. His smile faltered at her blank stare. “What? You not happy we aren’t dead?”

  
“Of course I am, but why don’t you ask that to the two people that died in the landing?” She huffed at his idle shrug. “Hey. You see those mountains over there? That’s where our next meal is. If we can’t make it there soon, we’re all going to die anyway.” She turns back to where she’d laid out her map, ignoring Finn still hovering behind her.

  
“Clarke!” Wells appeared over her other shoulder. “I’ve been through the dropship and assessed what we have. We don’t have communication, heat, and not nearly enough to survive the next few weeks. We have to-”

  
“I know what we have to do,” she snapped. “We have to get over to those mountains or we’re dead. End of story.”

  
“Woah, woah, you’re serious?” Curse these boys, another came up to them from the mob. “We have food. We can find water. What else do we need?”  
Wells scowled. “We can’t survive off of what we have! They expected us to land somewhere with more resources, not in the middle of the woods!”

  
“Woah, hey, back off.” Another guy strolled up, his walk leaking confidence. “Jasper’s not done anything wrong. He just wants to have fun, don’t you?” Jasper hesitantly nodded. “See? No need to get so angry. If anything, we should be angry at you, Mr. Chancellor’s son.”

  
Wells opened his mouth to protest before the other boy swiped his feet out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground. His one leg was injured in the crash and he went down like a brick. Finn jumped in from the side, stopping the boy’s punch. “Hey, Murphy. The guy’s got one leg. Why don’t you wait until it’s a fair fight?”

  
Murphy glowered. “Sure, whatever.” 

  
Clarke watched him stalk away before Finn’s voice caught her attention. “So, when do we leave?”

Clarke left camp alongside Finn, Jasper, Octavia Blake, and Monty Green, heading in the direction of Mount Weather. For now, their plan was just to scout out the route to the mountain, not engage just yet. They only had a few hours left in the day and wouldn’t be able to make it back to the dropship by nightfall if they tried to reach the mountain.

  
Clarke held casual conversation with Octavia, Bellamy’s younger sister, as they walked, Finn being the lead and the other two boys leading the rear. She’d been trying to recognize any of the plants in the area but none had popped out so far.

  
Finn froze in front of them, holding up a hand. He beckoned them forward, putting a finger to his lips. Clarke moved down beside him and her breath was taken away. “Holy shit.”

  
“Quiet,” Finn hissed, and they sat in silence as the deer grabbed leaves off a bush. Finn shifted forward to get a better view and Clarke winced at the loud crack of a twig beneath his feet. The deer looked up towards them, revealing not a normal head, but a deformed one, a second head stretching out from the first and covered in raw, red skin. It fled and left the group gaping in its wake.

  
Clarke was only shaken back to reality when Monty slipped away from their group to examine the bush the deer had been eating from. His face lit up and he plucked a leaf from the bush and turned to them. “Berries!”

  
“Berries?” Clarke stood to move over to him. “Are they edible?”

  
Monty popped it in his mouth. “Hell yes!”  
Clarke snagged one off the bush. It was a little blue sphere with a small petal at its top. She rolled it between her fingers for a moment before reluctantly taking a bite. The flavor burst in her mouth and she had to hold back a gasp. This was the real deal. Not some artificial fruit grown in a metal room, but food that came from the earth and the dirt and the wind. It was extraordinary.

  
Everyone else enjoyed eating the berries while Clarke opened her pack and began to fill it up with as many as she could find. The corner of her eye wavered and she turned, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of the deer again. Something flickered between the brush and as she leaned forward to get a closer look it vanished, disappearing into thin air. Clarke jolted back in surprise.

  
“You okay over there?” 

  
Clarke offered Octavia a smile. “I’m alright. I just thought I saw something. It was nothing.”

  
“Mhm,” Octavia replied, already filling her mouth with more berries.

  
Clarke smiled in amusement but couldn’t help looking back toward the brush. It was nothing, she told herself. You’re just being hopeful.

  
Hopeful.

Though the berries were appreciated, they weren’t nearly enough to live off of. Combined with the fact that everyone else was an asshole, Clarke decided to strike out alone in search of more food. Or maybe that was just an excuse to get out of camp. Either way, she headed out on her own into the uncharted forest. It probably wasn’t the best idea, not knowing what was lurking in the trees, but Clarke didn’t particularly care. Worst comes to worst, she’ll die an easy death of being mauled rather than starving.

  
The woods were peaceful. Birds chirped as they flitted through the trees, the occasional mouse would scutter into her path, but Clarke much preferred their company to that of other people right now. It was stressful, attempting to corral the unwilling teens. They wanted to party. Wanted to enjoy themselves. What they did not want to do was listen to her. They’d rather follow Bellamy.

  
Whatever. She’d do this with or without their cooperation. 

  
Clarke rested her hand on the hilt of her knife, tucked into the belt of her pants. She wasn’t good with a knife, not in the long shot, but the only gun they had was Bellamys and that was empty of bullets. Her stealth wasn’t the best either, but it would have to do.  
A bird cawed loudly to her left and she turned just in time to see something peeking around the trees. It was a young girl, somewhere around Clarke’s age, with wavy brown hair and tan skin. She froze, her jade eyes meeting Clarke’s gaze. Clarke stepped back, blinking, and in that moment the girl vanished.

  
Clarke rushed forward, looking around the tree and searching the area desperately. That was impossible. Someone couldn’t just disappear like that. They had to have gone somewhere, and yet the girl was nowhere to be found.

  
She was good. Or perhaps Clarke was just going mad.

  
Nobody had survived the apocalypse. Not on the ground.

  
Clarke was set.

  
She was mad.

“You’re sure?”

  
“No.” Clarke sighed heavily, resting her chin in her hand. “I have to be going mad, O. No one survived on the ground. It’s impossible.”

  
“Well, we aren’t dead from radiation yet, so maybe it is possible.” Octavia tore at the dried, artificial meat that was a part of the few supplies sent down. They were on their last stock and finally, people were beginning to worry. “Besides, shouldn’t we be hopeful? If other people survived, that means we can, too. They might have food.”

  
“We might have food if we could actually make it to Mount Weather!” Clarke scowled, waving away an offering of meat from her friend. “If these people weren’t so self-centered we could be surviving rather than slowly dying.”

  
“We aren’t slowly dying,” Octavia deadpanned. “They were prisoners. This is their first time away from adult control. Let them have their fun.”

  
“They’ve had their fun. Now it’s time for them to stop being lazy asses and do something productive!”

  
“Bellamy’s been taking groups out hunting,” Octavia said. “They haven’t caught anything yet.”

  
“Of course they haven’t. None of us have any clue how to hunt.”

  
Octavia nodded. “My brother thinks he’s all high and mighty being in control of these asses. He’s getting arrogant.”

  
Clarke threw her a side glance. “Okay. And?”  
“You should take his place.”

  
Clarke groaned. “I’m trying to. None of them will listen to me. They think I’ll be just like my mother.”

  
“Then show them that you won’t. Gain their respect.”

  
“How?”

  
Octavia smirked. “You need to impress them.”

Impress them. Like it was so easy.

  
Clarke decided in that moment that she was going to learn how to hunt. It would accomplish both of her tasks: get food, impress the delinquents. Win-win. If she could figure it out.

  
Clarke once again took off alone with her trusty knife strapped to her side. The area around the dropship didn’t have much life in its radius, likely because of the scene that both the landing and the occupants had caused. Life was ever so slowly edging closer but not close enough.

  
Clarke froze as a rabbit hopped into her path. It surprised her, considering she was only a ten minute walk from the dropship, and the last time anything even remotely big had been seen it had been the deer. Clarke sunk slowly to the ground, determined not to miss this chance.

  
She moved slowly behind it, unsheathing her knife and holding it at the ready. The rabbit looked up from the ground, ears perked, and she stopped all movement, waiting until it looked back down. She edged closer. Only a couple more steps to go. The rabbit looked up again, turned to look straight at her, and bolted.

  
Clarke cursed under her breath. Had it heard her? Could it see behind it? She didn’t know. Something had gone wrong, but she couldn’t fathom what. Clarke would like to consider it bad luck but knew it was otherwise. 

  
She slipped the knife back into her belt, a frown set on her face. How could she ever hope to learn something if she couldn’t figure out what mistakes she was making?

  
“You’re too loud.” Clarke froze, almost dreading looking behind her. The voice was unfamiliar, one she hadn’t heard from the delinquents, but then again, there were a hundred of them. She likely hadn’t met them all. She decidedly ignored whoever thought they could do a better job. She heard a snort of laughter. “You’re too heavy on your feet. Your breath is too loud. You’re unaware of where you’re placing your feet.”

  
“Alright, would you stop-” Clarke turned around and felt all the breath rush from her body as her eyes met with a familiar pair of jade orbs.


	2. Political

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke finds out that ground politics are a bitch and Bellamy throws a hissy fit.

**Clarke’s heart stuttered to a stop as she stared at the girl in front of her.**

This couldn’t be real. It was impossible. No one could have survived the radiation. Clarke stepped back, shaking her head. “That’s it. I’m insane.”

She heard the girl laugh lightly. “You are not insane, Skaigada. I am quite real.”

Clarke watched her warily. “How? How could people survive? The amount of radiation left after the missiles was lethal. No one should be able to live out here.”

The girl tilted her head curiously. “You live out here, do you not?”

“I-yes, but- have you lived outside your whole life?”

“I have. And so have my parents and their parents before them.” 

Clarke’s head was swimming with this new information. They weren’t the only people left? They could have survived on the ground for the last few generations? Also, the fact that they now shared a forest with a group of unknowns. “Do your people live around here?”

The girl narrowed her eyes. “Yes. Your Skai ship fell on _our_ territory.”

Clarke held her hands up. “We’re really sorry about that. Truly. We didn’t choose to land here. Hell, we didn’t even know people lived down here. We thought we were the last people alive.”

“‘Down here?’ You did not live ‘down here’ before?”

Clarke shook her head. “No. We lived in space.” At the other girl’s visible confusion, Clarke amended her statement. “Up there. In the sky.”

“Impossible.”

“It’s not!” Clarke huffed in frustration. “It’s- you know what, this doesn’t matter right now. Would you happen to know the best route to get to that mountain over there?”

The girl looked to where Clarke was pointing and stepped back, her hand resting on the hilt of- a sword? “Why do you wish to know? Do you hope to go there? Is that where your people come from?”

“What? No. No, we didn’t come from there. But we think it has resources and want to get there so we’ll have somewhere to survive. We don’t know how to survive out here.”

The girl smiled a bit. “I’ve noticed. I do hope you know that people already inhabit that mountain.”

“They do?” Clarke perked up. “Is it your people? Will they help us?”

The girl practically growled, her hand clenching the hilt of her sword. “Those _ripas_ are not my people!”

“Woah. Calm down. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Clarke looked back at the mountain with a new interest. “You don’t seem to like the people who live there.”

“The _maunon_ are murderers who steal our people and turn them into monsters before sending them back to kill those they once loved.”

Clarke was taken aback. “What? How?”

“We do not know. No one has ever returned from being a _ripa_.”

Clarke didn’t know how to follow what had turned to a much darker conversation. She glanced at the mountain again, trying to imagine the people inside.

She looked back at the girl. She had her head held confidently and seemed perfectly at ease in the forest, something Clarke could not admit to. She had her head tilted slightly as she watched Clarke. 

“Are you the leader of your tribe?” Clarke started a bit, surprised at suddenly being spoken to.

“Not necessarily. I’m trying, but no one wants to listen.”

The girl snorted in amusement. “I noticed. They do not seem to care about their inevitable death.”

“Exactly,” Clarke muttered under her breath before she realized exactly what had been said. “Wait, how would you know that?”

“I have been watching you, _Klark kom Skaikru,_ ” she said, moving slowly closer. “You would be a much better leader than the other boy. _Bellomi_ , I believe.”

“Yes.” Clarke shifted nervously, not entirely comfortable with this unknown girl in front of her. “Exactly how much do you know? About us?”

“As much as I need to. You do not know how to survive. You are no threat to us, not as long as you stay the way you are.” She raised her chin up, looking down her nose at Clarke. “You could change that, though. If you were to take charge.”

Clarke was getting confused. “You sound like you want me to take charge.”

“I do.”

“Why? If we would become a threat, then why?”

“Because I have now met you.” Her eyes glistened with interest as she scanned Clarke up and down. “I would not have shown myself to you if I didn’t have a purpose.”

“And what would that purpose be?”

“To ally my tribe with yours.”

“What?” Clarke sighed heavily, rubbing her temples. This was getting to be too much. “Why? What could we do for you?”

“In all truthfulness, not much.” The girl looked to the mountain, a frown forming on her face. “But you could do much for others, others who, with your _tek_ , could become an even greater force. I do not want our enemies to get ahold of your _tek._ ”

“We don’t have much of it. What could it do for your enemies?”

“I have seen the one you call _Bellomi_ using his ‘gun,’” she said, the word sounding awkward on her tongue. “In the wrong hands, it could be a weapon of massacre.”

Clarke realized that this girl didn’t know the gun was out of shots, but she didn’t bother correcting her. If these people became hostile, they’d need the leverage. “Okay. Then how do you want to work this ‘allies’ thing?”

“For now, all we need it a mutual agreement to not provoke the other side. I would recommend keeping this from your people for a time until everything is figured out.”

“Wait a minute,” Clarke said. “How would that benefit _us_?”

The girl cocked her head as she thought. “I suppose I could help provide you with food.”

“Okay. And what do you mean keep it from my people? Why would I keep a whole population hidden from them?”

“Your people are unorganized, unprepared for political moves such as other nations. They would act rashly, especially _Bellomi_. I fear they would try and attack us. If that were to happen, I would be unable to prevent my people from retaliating.”

Clarke considered. “Okay. Just for now.”

“Very good. Before we part,” the girl reached into her pack and pulled out the rabbit Clarke had failed to catch, a bloody wound on its back boasting its death. “Have this. An act of goodwill, say.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Clarke took the rabbit and weighed it in her hands before she noticed the other girl slipping away. “Hold on.”

She paused. “Yes?”

“I never got your name.” At the girl’s odd look, Clarke elaborated. “You know my name. Shouldn’t you return the favor?”

A beat of silence passed between them and Clarke worried she had overstepped some unseen boundary before the girl answered. “Leksa.” She was gone ere Clarke could say another word.

“Lexa.” The name was an unfamiliar one, short and simple, but Clarke liked it in that aspect. She had the rabbit tucked under an arm as she walked back and went over what had just happened. 

People. There were whole tribes of people out there, not just surviving, but dealing in politics and other things that Clarke had never thought she’d have to be a part of, not on the ground. And though she hated having to deal with this alone, she knew she couldn’t tell anyone. Not even Octavia. They weren’t ready to hear this, especially not Bellamy’s followers. Octavia, Finn, sure, they’d deal with it fine, but Clarke didn’t trust them. Not yet. Not with something so big.

She got back to camp and the first thing she saw was people crowded around the fire, cheering on something she couldn’t see. Her fellow survivalists were away from the action, seemingly disagreeing with whatever was going on. Clarke went straight to them.

“Clarke! Thank god you’re back,” Octavia said, running up to her. “Bellamy and Murphy are removing everyone’s wristbands.”

“What?” She set the rabbit down on a bin, ignoring Jasper’s exclamation of joy at the prospect of fresh meat and marched over to the fire, pushing through the crowd. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Murphy looked up from whoever’s wristband he was trying to pop off. “What does it look like, Princess? We’re freeing ourselves from the bastards that sent us down here.”

“They’ll think you’re dead.”

“That’s the point,” Murphy deadpanned, pushing down hard on the piece of metal wedged beneath the wristband. It cracked open, and the crowd cheered.

Clarke scowled, pushing over to where Bellamy stood behind Murphy. “Why are you letting him do this?”

“Because, Princess,” he said, rolling his eyes, “We don’t want them coming down here after us. They say they’ll pardon us from our crimes, well, they’re lying. We like being free of their rules, free of all rules. Down here, we can do whatever the hell we want, whenever the hell we want!”

The delinquents roared in agreement, throwing out slurs toward the Ark, toward the chancellor, the council, her mother. Herself. Clarke scowled and, realizing she couldn’t stop this, pushed her way back out of the crowd.

Jasper was still poking and prodding at the rabbit but Monty turned to her, as well as Octavia, Wells, and Finn. “So?”

“It’s pointless,” Clarke said, looking back at the criminals. “They won’t stop.”

Octavia scoffed. “Guess we’ll be splitting this catch up ourselves.”

“It’s a good catch,” Monty said. Jasper nodded in agreement.

They started their own small fire, and Monty did his best to skin the meat before they strung it up over the fire. The smell alone drew over some of the delinquents, but Octavia kept them back. “You got your wristband? No? Then back the fuck up!”

They happily split the meat among the six of them, not nearly enough to sate them but it was the best food they’d in weeks, better than any of the beat that had ever been produced on the Ark. It was their first taste of actual meat and, though it was a little overcooked, it was the best Clarke had ever eaten.

Bellamy wasn’t very happy. “Clarke!” She sighed heavily and heard Octavia mutter ‘here we go again.’ “You got meat?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Or share any of it?”

“I am sharing it,” she said blatantly. “And I didn’t tell you because you don’t seem to care much about whether you survive or not, so why bother?”

“Clarke-”

Octavia interrupted him. “Bellamy, why don’t you stop being an ass for two seconds and you catch your own food.”

Bellamy stood there scowling for a moment before he turned and called a couple of the boys to him, slipping off into the forest. 

Clarke felt someone slide in beside her. “So, Princess, how’d you manage to catch this? I didn’t think you were the type to go hunting.”

Clarke raised an eyebrow at Finn, but seeing everyone else looking at her she answered. “Snuck up on it and stabbed it in the back.” Or, that was what she tried to do. Lexa was the one who’d done it.

Finn whistled. “Shit, Princess, that’s harsh.”

“Are you complaining?”

“No,” he said through his bite of rabbit meat. 

Clarke turned back to her own food. “Thought so.”

She caught a glimpse of movement in the bushes and could feel a grin tugging at her lips when Lexa appeared. She hovered in the shadows, scanning the camp, and offered Clarke a smirk when she noticed her watching. Clarke grinned back as discreetly as she could before Lexa slipped back into the foliage.

“Clarke?” She focused back on the people around her, waving it off as nothing.

This would be a hell of a secret to keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that these are so short, but I'd rather keep them short and get them out sooner than make then longer and have you guys wait a week or more between updates.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Weapons of Evil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa continues her lessons with Clarke and Mount Weather causes trouble, voluntarily or not.

**The next time Clarke saw Lexa was three days later.**

After Clarke’s ‘success’ at hunting, even if it was just a rabbit, Bellamy seemed determined to prove that he could hunt better than her. In all truth, he probably could, but it wasn’t like she would tell him that.

Clarke had gone out with hunting parties multiple other times, but this would be her first time alone since the Lexa incident. She went out with the excuse of hunting, and she actually was trying to, but what she wanted was something different. Something secret.

“I don’t understand how you still have animals around.” Clarke turned sharply, unsurprised to see Lexa calmly following her path. “All of you walk like you’re trying to step on every little thing you can.”

“Well I’m sorry if I didn’t grow up in a forest,” Clarke said. “We can’t all be ridiculously silent.”

“I could teach you.”

Clarke had to pause for a second to make sure she heard her right. “What?”

“I could teach you.” Lexa crossed the distance between them, settling comfortably against the trunk of a tree just a few feet in front of her. “I said I would help provide food. My way of doing that is teaching you to provide food.”

There was no reason to deny the offer. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Lexa nodded, her face turning all serious. “First we must fix your feet. You step too loudly. Any animal could hear you coming.” She pushed herself up. “Walk a bit for me.”

Lexa had her walk maybe five feet before she stopped her. “You are trying to walk quietly, but it is not working. You put all your weight on wherever you step instead of distributing it. Walk on the outer edges of your shoes and roll your feet forward after you place down your heel. I suppose part of the problem could be your footwear, but we will have to make do.”

Lexa knew what she was doing. As they moved, Clarke watched how Lexa walked and reveled in how silent she was, even when walking so casually. By the time Lexa decided it was time to part ways, it had been over an hour. Clarke didn’t feel as if anything had changed, though Lexa insisted it was an improvement.

“We’ll make a hunter out of you yet,” she said, a small smile curving onto her face. “For now, though, I do believe I promised to provide.” She took a knife out from her belt and threw it into the bushes in what to Clarke looked like a pointless maneuver, but Lexa followed after her knife and produced yet another dead rabbit.

Clarke looked at her in awe. “How did you do that?”

“Practice and experience,” Lexa said, handing the rabbit to Clarke. “It is how we produce our food. Anyone able-bodied learns to hunt.” Her eyes rested on the dagger strapped to Clarke’s waist. “Perhaps next time we’ll have to see how good you are with that knife.”

“And when will ‘next time’ be?”

“The next time I catch you alone in the woods,” Lexa smirked before turning around and disappearing into the foliage.

That girl was something.

It wasn’t until later that day that the topic of Mount Weather was brought up among her ‘rebel group,’ as the delinquents called them. It was something Clarke had avoided talking about ever since the startling truth of it had been told to her by Lexa.

“So, Clarke,” Jasper said as he tore into a rabbit leg. “What happened to your desperate plan to get to that mountain?”

Clarke shrugged helplessly, her mind racing to think up a reasonable excuse. “From here, it has to be an eight-hour hike or so. If it is the stock-full bunker we think it is, just the six of us wouldn’t be able to get everything we need from there to here, much less across the thirty-something miles between.”

“So Princess did her math,” Finn said. “Any reason you didn’t figure this out before?”

“Optimism.” Clarke prayed that would be enough, that would be the end of it. Of course, it wasn’t.

“People are starting to realize that Bellamy isn’t a very good leader. We could rally up however many are willing to go and, I don't know, scout out the path there?” Monty said.

“Leave the rest behind, that’s what we do.” Octavia threw a scornful gaze at the people sitting around the main fire. “If they don’t want to save their own asses, then fine.”

“We can’t do that,” Clarke said. “We’re not leaving them behind. That’s another reason I’m hesitant to go. I don’t want to have three dozen miles between them and us.”

“Leave a trail or something. Maybe they’ll follow us.”

Clarke sighed. She hoped Bellamy got his shit together soon. If she wanted to tell them about their newly acquired allies, she’d need him to get them organized. He was the only one the delinquents seemed to listen to. If he opposed her, she’d never get anywhere.

“Whatever,” Clarke muttered. “I’d rather wait until the camp isn’t such a mess to pursue anything that big.”

Octavia narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay? This seems… sudden.”

“Maybe I was just hanging onto hope all before now.” Clarke looked toward the distant peaks, internally hurting as she imagined how Lexa’s people felt being ripped from their families by whatever horrible people ruled the bunker. It was enough to make her determined to keep her people away from the same fate, and Lexa’s as well if she could. If she could.

Her people come first.

This was the fourth time this week she’d seen Lexa.

She’d fallen into a routine. Every other day, she went out alone to go ‘hunt.’ Bellamy tried to convince her to go with a hunting party, but she shot him down, saying she did better alone. He couldn’t argue, considering the last two times she’d come back with food.

Clarke was picking up quickly on Lexa’s teachings. Knife throwing came easy to her; she could throw well, only needed to refine her aim. Her stealth was improving, but it was still a far cry from what it would need to be to hunt efficiently. Lexa was still providing the meat, though she was certain that given another week or so Clarke could perhaps catch something herself.

The relationship between the two was awkward. It was all business, and though Clarke had taken a liking to the grounder girl, Lexa wasn’t as willing to put her trust in Clarke. She could understand that; it’s hard to like someone when you don’t know whether they’ll still be around tomorrow.

Clarke’s knife struck just inches from the X Lexa had carved onto the trunk of a tree. Lexa nodded, pulling it out and tossing it back. “Getting closer. Again.”

Clarke shifted her posture a bit to the right, the knife hitting a few inches off on the other side. Lexa repeated the same action she’d been doing since they’d started. “Don’t adjust your body, adjust your throw. Aim your body at the target, aim your throw at the mark.”

Clarke shifted back to her original stance, the knife sinking in maybe two inches top-left of the mark. Lexa tossed the knife back and Clarke once again aimed and threw.

At the same time, a horn blasted in the distance, messing up her aim and sending the knife crashing into the bushes. Lexa looked up sharply, her eyes turning toward the mountain in the distance. Clarke followed her gaze and was startled at the orange mist descending from its sides.

“We have to hide.” Lexa scooped up the rabbit she’d pre-hunted and beckoned for Clarke to follow. “Come.”

“Wait, hold on,” Clarke said, not moving. “What is that stuff?”

“Acid fog. It burns the skin of anyone it touches. We must find shelter,” Lexa said, once again starting to move away.

“But my people! How will they know to find shelter?”

“Would you like to go back and warn them?” Lexa asked. “Your ‘dropship’ is closer to the mountain than we are. The fog moves fast. It will reach them before we could. We must save ourselves and hope for the best.”

Clarke took one look at the fog rushing toward them and knew Lexa was right. She nodded her consent and followed her away.

“So do you have a place to hide around here?” Clarke asked, struggling to keep up with the hard pace Lexa had set.

“In this area? No. We will have to find somewhere.”

They sprinted in the opposite direction of the fog, Clarke blindly following, having no idea where they were going. She felt something catch on her foot and fell to the ground with a thud. She turned to look at the orange haze in the distance and scrambled to get up.

“Come on!” Lexa grabbed her wrist and hauled her to her feet, turning to continue their sprint, but Clarke held her back. Lexa turned to yell at her but Clarke was more focused on whatever she had tripped over.

Clarke dusted the leaves away, revealing a small handle stickup up out of the ground. She grabbed it and pulled, feeling it give slightly before something began to push back. “A little help here?”

Lexa crouched beside her, grabbing the handle and pulling with all her strength. It groaned open, the rungs squealing as if it hadn’t been opened in a century and a half. Lexa seemed hesitant to go down into the unknown bunker, but another glance at the fog that was almost upon them made her relent. She slipped down and Clarke followed after her, pulling the hatch closed just as the fog swept over them.

She held onto the ladder, unsure of what was below them with no light to see in the pitch black. She heard Lexa drop onto the floor and carefully dropped as well, bending her knees to lessen the impact. She could hear Lexa shuffling around ahead of her and stretched out her hands. She felt for the walls, finding one on her right and feeling all over it. There was a switch there. She flicked it up. The overhead lights flickered for a second before shutting back off, but it gave Clarke enough time to find what she was looking for. Clarke moved carefully over to what had looked like a desk tucked against the wall, running her hands over it until she felt the rubber rim.

Lexa flinched as Clarke flicked her newly acquired flashlight on, aiming the beam into the darkness in front of them. The bunker was small, looking unused as if it had been prepared but never gotten the chance to be lived in. There was a dusty couch, a dirty bed, two small coffee tables, and a few various shelves and cabinets hung onto the walls.

Clarke sighed heavily, smacking the couch cushion and coughing through a cloud of dust before sitting down. “So. Does this sort of thing happen often?”

Lexa hovered awkwardly at the opposite end of the couch. “Perhaps twice a moon cycle. They only release it when we get too close.”

“They? This is from the maunon?” Clarke sat back against the cushions, mumbling under her breath, “damned bastards.”

“ _Sha_ , this is maunon.” Lexa finally sat down on the couch, keeping a good two feet between them. “They don’t want to risk us getting close, despite that there is only one impenetrable way in.”

“Only one? Are you sure?”

“ _Sha_. It is a great door, one that never opens. It is many feet thick.”

“Never opens,” Clarke repeated. “If it doesn’t open, how do they get in and out? With the reapers and all?”

Lexa clicked her tongue absentmindedly on the roof of her mouth. “You suspect they have another entrance we do not know of. I suppose it’s possible. It’s not often we get very close.” She looked up with Clarke, something new shining in her eyes. “You are smart, _Klark kom Skaikru_. I have not thought of such an approach.”

“Really?” Clarke was surprised. “Have your leaders not sent anyone out to investigate?”

Lexa grimaced. “ _Nou_. They have eyes in the trees. We cannot get close without meeting with _ripas, maunon_ or the fog. Believe me, we have tried. No one has yet returned alive.”

Clarke nodded, deep in thought. The maunon obviously had tech like the Ark, they hadn’t left it behind as Lexa’s people had. She guessed the eyes were cameras, and if they could find where the cameras were and avoid them, then perhaps they could get to the mountain’s edge. If not, maybe they could try and communicate a peace with them, or at least try and understand more about them.

Clarke realized that there was so much more that they could do for Lexa and her people than she had realized. The things they had, the knowledge they held, it could be so much more helpful than any of them had thought it would be. Clarke looked at the hatch, seeing the tiny wisps of orange haze drifting in through the cracks. “I’m going to help you defeat the maunon.”

Lexa looked up at her, surprised. Clarke caught the corners of her lips twitching up into a smile before being forced back down. “I’m not sure you quite understand. The maunon cannot be defeated.”

“With what you had before, no.” Clarke lifted her wrist, her eyes searching over the tiny metal transmitter. “But with what we have, maybe they can be.”

“Doubtful. The maunon are too powerful.”

“But you’ve never had tech. They’d never think you’d have tech. If we could combine our minds, use both your people’s skills and our machines, maybe we could at least do some damage. It’s worth a try, is it not?”

Lexa couldn’t help the small grin at the thought of finally bringing down the mountain. “You are right. There is no harm in trying.”

Clarke grinned back at her. Lexa was always so serious, it was nice to get some hope out of her. Lexa’s eyes moved down to the wristband she’d been looking at. “What is the metal bracelet? All of your people have one, or had one.”

Clarke’s grin slipped as her mind returned to the delinquents. “They’re transmitters. They send our vitals back up to the people on the Ark, let them know if we’re alive, injured, dead, the likes.”

Lexa’s eyes widened slightly. “Even when your Ark is in the sky?”

“Yes. The wristbands release signals that get picked up by receivers on the station. It’s nothing that complicated.”

“If that is what you call ‘not complicated,’ I would like to know what you would consider complicated.” Lexa relaxed back into the couch, finally seeming more at ease now that the topic of the maunon had passed. “Tell me more about this ‘Ark’ of yours. You grew up on it, did you not?”

“I did.” Clarke went on to tell her about her experiences on the Ark, feeling relieved that there was finally someone she could complain to that wouldn’t immediately report her to some higher authority. Perhaps it was still too early to make judgments, but Clarke trusted the grounder girl. She just seemed so authentic. Clarke couldn’t help but admire her.

She was something new. Something she'd never seen before.

Clarke wanted more of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I just finished what was, in my opinion, the best 100 fanfic yet, and I need to share it with someone.
> 
> It's called 'Returning to Hell' by ElseworldKara and littleraider99 and it is phenomenal. It's more plot-based than it is relationship-based (though there's a healthy amount of clexa in it) and anyone who likes Clarke being a badass bitch alongside her commander, go read it. Just go read it. It's the best. I can't express how much I love it.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Come and Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke reconciles with her best friend, Murphy is a dick and Lexa brings along a very intense friend.

**“Clarke!”**

Clarke smiled at Monty’s excited exclamation, happy to see that what looked like everybody had survived the acid fog. “Monty! Is everyone alright?”

“One dead. Harper saw it coming from the distance and everyone got inside. The hunting party found caves to hide in. Only Atom died.” Monty hugged her tightly for just a second. “We were worried about you. Where did you go?”

Clarke’s mind wandered not back to the bunker but to Lexa, her partial smiles and the one half-hearted laugh she’d managed to get out of her. “I found an old bunker. There wasn’t much in it of use, but it’s well hidden.”

Monty was about to reply before Clarke heard her name called again. Octavia grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her back and forth. “Where the hell were you?”

“I found a place,” Clarke replied vaguely. “Do you have any idea what that was?”

“Some sort of poisonous mist,” Monty replied. “It burns the skin. Atom had blisters as big as a dinner plate on him after laying in it for the entire time. It didn’t kill him, but it would have after a few hours. The way it reacts to flesh reminds me of a chemical reaction.”

“Is it radiation?” Wells asked, coming up behind Monty. Clarke’s lips twitched down and Wells’ face looked like a kicked puppy. 

“I don’t know what else it could be. There was never anything like this in old-world texts. We’ll have to watch out for it in the future.”

Clarke nodded in agreement. “So we will.”

“Clarke.” Said girl turned to Wells with a frown. His eyes were on the ground, his face downcast. “Can we talk?”

“About what?”

Wells flinched at how much venom was in her tone. “Mount Weather.”

Clarke did not want to deal with his bullshit right now, but she supposed she would have to at some point. “Fine. We’ll talk.” She stalked into the dropship. Wells trailed behind nervously.

He walked in to Clarke facing him, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently though it hadn’t even been a minute. Wells took a deep breath. “We need to go to Mount Weather.”

“We’ve had this discussion already.”

“I know, but we need those provisions. Yes, it’s a three dozen mile walk, but we won’t survive another week at the rate we’re going. An occasional rabbit isn’t enough to keep a hundred people fed.”

“Then maybe they should get their shit together and actually get some food,” Clarke scowled.

“Clarke-” Wells sighed heavily. “Listen, I didn’t want to have to tell you this, but if it will get you to hear me out, then I will.”

“Tell me what?”

“I didn’t kill your father.”

Clarke was taken aback, not by the statement, but by the abrupt change of topic. “No. Your father did you that after you betrayed my trust.”

“That’s not what I mean. I mean I didn’t tell him.”

“Then who fucking did?” She hissed. “Who else _knew_?”

Wells’ sad look made her pause before it hit her. Only one other person had known. If not Wells, then…

“No.” Clarke stepped back, her eyes widening. “No. She wouldn’t. She wouldn’t.”

Wells moved closer, hesitantly resting a hand on her shoulder, and she surprised him by wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into his shoulder. Tears slid down her cheeks. “Why would she do it?”

Wells rubbed circles on her back. “She was doing what she thought was best for her people.”

“By _killing_ her husband?”

“She thought my father would convince him to stop, not float him.”

Clarke snarled, pulling out of Wells’ hold. “Your father’s a bastard.”

Wells nodded sadly. “I wish he wasn’t, but… even I can’t deny that he is.”

Clarke heaved another breath, the sadness replaced with a raging fury. At her mother, at Jaha, at Murphy and everyone else who didn’t understand that _they are going to die_. Not just the hundred on the ground, but those on the Ark as well if they don’t come to the ground.

Clarke pushed past Wells toward the door to the dropship. He watched her, confused. “Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving for a bit. I need to be alone.” Her face softened just a bit looking at Wells. “And, just so you know… I’m happy to have you. Thank you.”

Wells didn’t have time to respond as Clarke slipped out of the dropship and strode into the woods she’d come from not ten minutes prior.

Clarke paced the woods outside of camp, careful not to stray too far after earlier events. Her mind was reeling. She felt overwhelmed. After spending the first half of the day with Lexa and then being told that Wells had let her _hate him_ just so she wouldn’t hate her mother? She felt a swirl of emotions flooding her mind: anger, at her mother for killing Jake, at Wells for keeping it secret. Sadness, at her father being slaughtered by his wife. Confusion, at _why_ Abby had killed him. She’d loved him. Of that Clarke had no doubt. Yet she killed him.

Clarke rested her forehead against the bark of a tree, her breath coming in quick gasps as she struggled to rein herself in. She knew she should go back; there were things to do after being stuck inside all morning. She took a minute, breathing deeply under she felt her racing heart calm down. With a last heaving sigh, she pushed herself off the tree and headed back to the dropship.

As she got closer to their camp, a commotion caught her attention. She sped up, half jogging back and pushing through the crowd of people hovered around the entrance to the ship. Miller and Harper were keeping everyone back best they could but neither stopped Clarke from walking right between them.

Finn and Monty were crouched on the floor while Bellamy was trying to calm down a raging Octavia, who had a knife pointed at Murphy. Murphy was leaning against the wall, hands up in surrender but not seeming at all bothered. Jasper was hovering in the corner, unsure. Monty looked up at her and breathed in relief. “Clarke! Thank god, you have to come quick.”

“What is it?” Clarke rushed over to him and almost collapsed as she saw Wells, lying on the floor in the same spot she’d left him standing before she’d left, with blood leaking out of the side of his neck. “What the hell happened?”

“Murphy,” Finn answered. “Stabbed him in the neck. He’s alive, but…”

Clarke scrambled to his side, pressing her fingers to his pulse. She could feel it’s beat, but it was so faint Clarke knew it was hopeless. Wells’ breath came in stranged gasps, his body convulsing slightly. Her face contorted in pain. “He… he won’t make it. We should…”

Finn nodded. “I will.” He touched her shoulder lightly, leaning over. “You don’t have to be here for this.”

She shook her head. “I should. Just do it.”

He nodded, pulling a knife from his belt. Clarke slipped her hand into Wells’, holding onto her friend tightly. She’d never get the chance to reconcile with him, to ask him why he’d let her hate him when it hurt them both. To thank him for everything he’d given her.

She had to force herself to watch as Finn slipped the knife into his neck, hitting point. He died within seconds.

Clarke had to keep a sob from forming. She could cry later. Now was not the time.

She let out a shaky exhale. “Dig a grave and bury him with the others.”

Finn, Monty, and Jasper began to comply with her orders as Clarke went over to the Blakes and Murphy. She grabbed Murphy’s shoulders and slammed him against the wall. “Why? Why the hell did you have to _murder_ him?”

Murphy smirked. “Princess is angry I killed Junior Chancellor. How surprising.”

“Is that why you did it? Because of his father?” She snarled, releasing him from her hold. “You’re sick, do you know that?”

Murphy smiled lazily. “I know.”

“What are we going to do with him?” Octavia asked, prodding him with her blade.

“We could kill him,” Bellamy suggested.

“No,” Clarke said firmly. “We are not the Ark. We are not going to kill people, even him.” Clarke looked Murphy dead in the eyes, her face cold and expressionless. “I say we banish him.”

Clarke was eager to escape camp the next day. The whole atmosphere was tense, wary of everyone after Wells’ death. They were surrounded by criminals. Who knew if anyone else was out for blood?

Clarke moved as silently as she could toward her and Lexa’s usual spot. They’d claimed a small section of the southern woods for their own use, and the trees there were all filled with the marks of Clarke’s knife. She rested her hand on the hilt of said knife, feeling reassured by its constant presence at her side. It was all the protection she had, and these woods still made her a bit nervous.

To her surprise, Lexa was waiting leaning up against a tree, sharpening her dagger on a whetstone. She usually had to wait until Lexa dropped from the trees _somewhere_ (because no matter how hard she tried, Clarke could never find where she came from) and yet she now stood in the open.

Lexa saw her before Clarke could get a word out. “Clarke. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“Since when do you _wait_ for me?”

Lexa let a small smile grace her face for just a second. “Since today. You have your knife, yes? Throw it at the target.”

Clarke did as she asked. The knife struck dead center.

Lexa nodded approvingly. “Good. You’re a natural at this.”

“Surprisingly.” Clarke whirled around at the unfamiliar voice, startled to find another woman behind her. Her hair was brown, more chestnut than Lexa’s chocolate. Her eyes were narrow, a feature commonly attributed to what the old-world had called ‘Asian.’ She held the same steely, emotionless mask Lexa normally showed. “I had thought all skai people were horrendous at weaponry.

Clarke snorted. She was right. “And you are?”

The woman tilted her head. “You should learn to respect your superiors, _skaigada_. I am Anya, general under the Heda.”

Heda. It was a familiar term, one she’d heard Lexa bring up in passing a few times. “Heda. Your… leader, yes?”

“Yes.” Anya’s eyes flickered to Lexa for a moment before coming back to Clarke. “And you are the _Skai Heda_.”

“You could say that.” She’d rather not tell this unknown of her and Bellamy’s competition for leadership.

“Clarke has offered her support against the Maunon,” Lexa said from behind her, moving to stand at her shoulder. “I would like to know your opinion on this.”

“Has she?” Anya’s eyes shone with interest. “And what can this singular girl do for us? From what I know, no one else has noticed us. I hadn’t known you were aware of our presence.”

“You’re right, no one else knows you exist. And it will stay that way until I think my people can handle the news.”

“You are afraid they will act rashly.” Anya nodded. “A sound decision, as long as you can handle them.”

Clarke chose to ignore that. “You are here to discuss the mountain.”

“ _Sha_ , I am. The clans have tried many times to fall the mountain. What makes you think you can make a difference?”

“Tech.” Clarke explained to Anya what she had told Lexa. “We understand the Mountain’s workings. You say it’s impossible to get close? We can help you with that.”

Anya leaned forward, a malicious smirk forming on her face. “Tell me all you know about tech, _Skaiheda_. Their eyes in the trees. You know how to close them?”

“I know what they are. We call them cameras. They’re small cubes that have a recorder and transmitter inside them, and the maunon can watch you through them. If you can locate the cameras and destroy them, they can’t see you.”

“And how would this help? The door is still the only way in.”

“I don’t think it is. From what Lexa’s told me, the maunon or their reapers will periodically leave the mountain. If they don’t go through the doors, then they must have another way somewhere else. You’d be more skilled in that area, so that would be your job. I can’t tell you much more with how little we know, but if we can get inside or just close, maybe we can see more of how they operate.”

Anya nodded. “You have covered most of what we know. The only other information I can give you is what we can see from where we stand. One of those is large metal platings stood up on the peak. What of those?”

“Satellites, probably. We had them on the Ark. Where I came from,” Clarke added at Anya’s confused look. “They can pick up signals and send them back to the source. That’s how the cameras work. The cameras send a signal into the air that the satellites can pick up and send into the mountain.”

“It enables long-range communication?”

“It would, yes.”

Anya hummed thoughtfully. “The only other thing we can observe is a large wall that pours water in from the rivers.”

“A dam. In the old world, they used dams for many things. To block out water, to provide a source of water, or even to provide energy.”

“Energy?”

“Electricity. What we use to power our tech. We’ll have to look farther into the purpose of the dam.”

“You offer a promising relationship, _Skaiheda_ ,” Anya said. “Your information can be beneficial to us. But how do we know you will not turn to the mountain? You are more alike them than us.”

“Lexa told me what they’re doing to your people. I would never side with someone who would condone that,” Clarke scowled. “Though I would ask of something in return if we were to ally our peoples.”

Anya raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You think you can demand something of us?”

“If you want us to give you something, I want something in return,” Clarke answered. “It isn’t anything that should be a problem.”

“What is it you ask, _Skaiheda_?”

“Help.” Anya tilted her head at Clarke’s request. “As you may know, we don’t know how to survive in this new world. All I ask is that you help us live. Help us along until we can manage ourselves.”

“And say this plan does succeed and the maunon do fall. What of our alliance then?”

“How do the different clans keep an alliance?”

Anya shot a knowing look at Lexa, one that left Clarke confused but didn’t speak up on. “Our Heda forged that alliance. She brought all twelve clans together peacefully, a feat no other commander has done. The clans keep the peace through Heda and through trade agreements.”

“Could we offer the same trade agreements?”

“What would you have to trade?”

Clarke shrugged. “Tech, maybe. If not, I’m sure we’d eventually grow skilled enough to sell what we catch.”

Anya looked at her with a look that Clarke thought was respect, though with this woman it was hard to be sure of anything. “Very well, _Skaiheda_ . You shall have this alliance, but only when you organize your people. I believe Lexa wishes to continue with your… _meetings_. She will inform me of when you are ready to begin negotiations.”

Clarke nodded, and Anya sent one last amused glance toward Lexa before slipping into the foliage.

She sighed heavily, dropping her back against the trunk of a tree. “She’s… intense.”

Lexa couldn’t help the smile that crept onto her face. “Indeed.”

“I’m guessing she’s your general, then?”

Lexa’s smile dropped. “In a sense.”

She didn’t elaborate. Clarke knew she wasn’t going to.

“So… are we training or what?”

Lexa snorted in amusement. “Yes, Klark. We are.” Her eyes moved down to her legs. “You have no muscle.”

“I lived in a metal box my entire life.”

“Yes, you did.” Lexa met her eyes once more. “We need to fix that. Try and keep up.”

Clarke’s legs were going to hurt like hell when this was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to get up. School started up again last week plus my overall laziness did not help me get this out any faster. I wasn't looking forward to writing the first part of this chapter, so that probably also didn't help. I'm excited to write the next one, though, so that should be out quicker.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	5. Welcome Awakenings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa finds a boy alone in the woods. Clarke gets awoken in the middle of the night for an unusual show of nature's beauty.

**When Clarke banished Murphy, she’d never expected to see him again.**

Much less being pushed along with Lexa’s fist wrapped around the back of his shirt.

Clarke was stunned as Lexa tossed Murphy to the ground. Murphy looked up at her with a confused look on his face, his eyes flitting between her and Lexa. Lexa rapped him on the bad of the head. “He yours?”

“... yes.” Clarke narrowed her eyes at him. “We banished him.”

She nodded. “I’d seen him wandering. What did he do?”

Clarke scowled. “Murdered someone.”

Murphy rolled his eyes. “Jaha Junior deserved it.”

“Like hell he did.”

Lexa grabbed his hair, yanking his head up. “Don’t speak,  _ ripa _ , or I will gag you.” She looked at Clarke. “Mind if I have him?”

She shrugged. “Do what you want with him. We don’t want him.”

Murphy actually looked shocked. “You know this savage?”

Lexa snarled and backhanded him across the face. “Silence,  _ banau _ . I will not feel guilt over harming a murderer.”

Clarke approached Murphy. “You are more of a savage than she is. You deserve whatever they do to you.” She nodded to Lexa, who heaved him to his feet. She raised a hand into the air and two other people dropped from the trees, each taking an arm and dragging him off.

Clarke tried to brush off her surprise. “Friends of yours?”

“Guards. They’ve been watching the camp along with me, though they are there more to make sure they stay in line rather than gather information. I am the one who is collecting the information.”

“So is that your job? To spy?”

Lexa cocked her head thoughtfully. “I do many things. This is just another task to complete.”

A vague answer. But then again, all of Lexa’s answers were.

“Okay.” Clarke shifted her weight, pulling out her dagger. “What now?”

“Put the knife away. Your throwing skills are fine.”

Clarke groaned. She knew what that meant.

Luckily enough, days at camp were getting better. Clarke was learning to bring in more food herself rather than just have Lexa provide it for her, and a few others around camp seemed to be getting a feel for it as well. Most days, everyone ate something, even if it was only a small slice of rabbit meat.

They were beginning to organize a working system. The hunting party went out at dawn. As people woke, some would start a couple fires, as a cold chill was beginning to set in, a time of year old-world had called ‘autumn.’ Some people would collect water from a small stream they had found trickling by about a mile or so east. Tents had been set up from the supplies in the dropship, usually five or more per tent, and many still slept in the dropship, Clarke included. As more and more people accepted that they needed to work to survive, more was able to be accomplished. Firewood was gathered and stored. Logs were set up around the fire pits. All in all, things were finally starting to smooth out.

Clarke continued to meet Lexa, not daily, but often. She honed her throwing skills and had, according to Lexa, gotten much better at keeping quiet in the brush, though was still far from perfect. She was confident that she would soon be able to reveal to her people the existence of the clans.

Not yet, though. Not when Bellamy still largely held control over the camp.

Clarke was more respected, definitely. People listened to her. They did as she asked. But they would much rather listen to Bellamy than to her. Clarke was a daughter of the council. They thought that if they gave up control to her, she would seize it much like her mother had.

It was still too much of a risk.

It had been four days since she’d last seen Lexa, a fairly long period compared to their normal meetings. Though many people still lazed around camp all day having fun, Clarke was working herself to exhaustion. She hadn’t had the time to see Lexa.

So Lexa came to see her.

“Clarke.” She felt a light shake on her shoulder, rousing her from her slumber. Clarke growled lightly from her throat, her eyes still heavy with exhaustion. “Clarke, wake.”

That voice.

Her eyes cracked open and then went wide at Lexa, hovering by her side. In the dropship. Surrounded by other delinquents.

“What the hell are you doing?” Clarke hissed quietly, sitting up and looking around to make sure no one was awake. “You shouldn’t be here!”

“They will not wake. Your people sleep heavy, including you. I am a hunter. I will not wake them.”

Lexa was right. Nobody even stirred.

“Okay, point proven. Now, why did you come here in the first place?”

Lexa smirked. “You’ll see.”

“What? What does that mean?” Lexa stood, slipping out of the dropship. Clarke followed as quietly as she could. Lexa was waiting outside. “What are you doing?”

“Come,” was all she said, darting off into the woods past the single dying embers of a fire.

Clarke had two choices: stay back at camp or follow Lexa into the unknown. 

She went with Lexa.

Lexa moved swiftly, heading north in the direction of the mountain. She glanced over her shoulder occasionally, never long enough for Clarke to see her face, only to check that she was following. Lexa led her a fair distance before stopping. “We are just shy of it.”

Clarke looked around. “I’ve been through here before. There isn’t anything special about it.”

“In the daylight, no. During the night- you shall see.”

“What could be so special about the forest at night? It’s still just a bunch of-” a gasp broke her words as Lexa parted the foliage in front of them. It was a familiar clearing, but the only difference was that the moss that covered the trees and the ground all glowed a blue hue. Butterflies flitted around above them, glowing just as brightly, looking like stars in the night. She could feel a wide grin stretching over her face.

“Do you like it?” Lexa asked, walking up from behind close enough for their shoulders to brush. 

“Like it? Are you kidding, this is amazing!” Clarke couldn’t help the laugh that broke out of her, her once drowsy body thrumming with excitement. “What is this stuff?”

Lexa shrugged, dragging her through it and leaving a dark stripe that quickly regained its glow. “I do not know. If anyone would know, it would be our healers, for they are familiar with herbs, but a healer I am not.”

Clarke absentmindedly traced her finger in the moss. “Not that I’m not grateful, but why did you show me this?”

Lexa shrugged. “I wanted to. I knew you would enjoy it, and it is not something you can see anytime you want. Though I suppose I do want to escape my guards for a bit. They do not leave me alone.”

“The price we pay for safety, I guess.”

Lexa scoffed. “I can defend myself.”

“I have no doubt you can.”

Lexa’s lips twitched into a smile. “Sit with me, Clarke.”

Clarke sat next to Lexa in the moss, curling her feet up beneath her. “So?”

“Tell me about you.”

Clarke raised an eyebrow. “If I do, I expect you to return the favor.”

Lexa hesitated, but as much as she knew she shouldn’t, she had started to trust this skai girl over the last couple weeks. Never once has she suspected Clarke of having ulterior motives or even something as small as telling a lie. She truly believed the Clarke she saw before her was genuine. Not a facade like  _ Heda _ . Clarke had nothing of the sort. She and  _ skaiheda  _ were one and the same. Lexa could not say that about herself. In all truthfulness, she was more herself around Clarke than she was around any of her people. Everyone back home saw her as  _ Heda _ . To Clarke, she was only Lexa.

And so Lexa found herself agreeing.

Clarke’s smile made it worth it.

“Tell me about where you live.”

Lexa clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, considering. “I live, officially, in Polis, the capitol. It is many days from here on horseback, so I am currently staying at the capitol of this clan’s territory,  _ Tondisi.  _ Or, I will be, once my mission is finished.”

Clarke was leaning forward, eager to hear more about this mysterious population and their customs. “What clan are we in?” “The clan we are currently in is called the _Trigedakru_ , or _Trikru_ for short. To the north is _Azgeda_ and _Sankru._ East is _Floukru_. South is _Louwoda Kliron_ and _Yujleda_. West is _Ouskejon Kru_. I am from the _Trikru_ , though I only lived here for the first three years of my life until I was moved to Polis.”

“What clan is Polis in?”

“Polis also resides in  _ Trikru  _ Territory. It was one of the only old-world cities to have even a single building still upright. That single building is the commander’s tower.” Lexa’s eyes shone as she began to speak about Polis. “The tower is the best part of the city. It is over a hundred stories high, though not many have access to the upper levels. The top is where the eternal flame burns. The city itself would take hours to cross on foot it is so large. I would guess at least thirty thousand reside within the city, not including the constant flow of travelers. People from all clans come to Polis, so trade is very diverse.”

Clarke’s eyes widened. “Thirty  _ thousand _ ? How many people are in all twelve of the clans?”

Lexa shrugged. “ _ Trikru  _ has around thirty, forty thousand people total, and it is one of the most populated clans. I would estimate at least a couple hundred thousand people inhabit all twelve territories.”

“Hundred thousand,” Clarke mumbled. “That’s… incredible. How big are the territories?”

“On horseback, it would take months to cross from  _ Trikru  _ to  _ Ingranrona Kru _ .”

“Holy shit.” Clarke leaned back heavily against the tree, sighing loudly. “That’s… a lot.”

“Indeed. We have become good at staying alive.”

“Yeah, I can tell.” Clarke sighed again. “The Ark only has about two, three thousand people. You could crush them.”

“Not everyone is a warrior like myself,” Lexa said, pulling out her dagger. “Many are, though. Especially in clans like  _ Trikru  _ and  _ Azgeda _ . At least half of the population, if not more.”

“That’s still over a hundred thousand. I can’t believe your commander actually decided to give us a chance when you could have easily wiped us out and went on with your lives.”

Lexa was amused. Little did she know.

“The commander is just, at least whenever justice is an option. She has spared your lives for now.”

“I’m glad she did.” Clarke looked around at the bioluminescence. “Even if she hadn’t, I’m glad we came down here. It’s hard, but it’s so…  _ free _ .”

Lexa smiled. “I could not imagine living how you did. I don’t think I could have dealt with such restraints. You are strong in that aspect, Klark.”

Clarke smiled back, leaning over and bumping their shoulders. “Maybe so, but you’d still put me on my ass in seconds if I tried to beat you.”

Lexa chuckled quietly. “You have a strong mind. In a battle of wits, I’m sure we would at least tie.”

The two laughed again, but a voice interrupted their bubble of peace. “Clarke?”

Clarke knew that voice. “Shit,” she hissed. “You have to leave.”

“Who is that?” Lexa asked, rising to her feet easily and helping Clarke up. “Why do they want you?”

“He must have noticed I was gone,” Clarke said. “And that would be Finn.”

Finn. Lexa knew of the boy. He was always ogling at Clarke, always trying to gain her favor. It made her sick. He was pitiful and didn’t realize that Clarke had no such interest in him. She felt the urge to punch him in the face, to watch the blood run from his broken nose, whenever she saw him staring at Clarke like she was some sort of goddess. It made her insides boil.

Clarke saw Lexa’s scowl. “You don’t like him. Doesn’t surprise me. You can tell him how much you hate him later. Right now, you need to leave.” Lexa hesitated, but heard the crunch of the skai boy’s feet on the earth. She nodded and gracefully scaled one of the trees, peering out from behind the thick trunk. She caught Clarke’s eye one last time before the shaggy-haired boy stepped into the clearing.

“Holy shit…” he looked around at the glow but lost interest in it when he saw Clarke walking slowly toward him. “Clarke! There you are!”

“Finn.” Her voice had a hint of anger and frustration, something Finn didn’t seem to notice. “Why were you looking for me?”

“I saw that you were gone and I was worried,” he said, once again looking at Clarke like she was vital to his existence.

“I can take care of myself. I don’t need you to protect me.” His face fell a bit and Lexa smirked. “Stop treating me like I’m a child. Go back to camp, Finn.”

Finn looked broken. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t need you to,” she snapped. “Leave.”

“I can’t leave you out here by yourself!”

Clarke groaned. “Fine. I’ll come back with you. Don’t do this again,” she warned. Finn nodded, happy Clarke had accepted his ‘help.’ Clarke sent an apologetic look to Lexa, mouthing ‘sorry’ before Finn took her wrist and dragged her away.

Lexa could feel herself seething. How  _ dare  _ that insolent boy treat Clarke like she was some  _ branwada goufa _ who needed a caretaker. It was blatant disrespect, and Lexa had to restrain the urge to knock him in the head to see if it would put some sense into his brain.

Lexa began her return to her own camp, pondering over what it was about the skai girl that made her feel such emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had been planning on including at least one dropship scene in here, but I figured I might as well get this out to you. Just a bunch of clexa moments, with Finn being a cockblock (can you use that for a lesbian relationship?) and a general fool. Hope you enjoyed!


	6. Hail the Commander

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who was that?”
> 
> “My guard.” Lexa sat down next to Clarke, thinking carefully about how to word this. “Klark, there is something about me which I haven’t told you.”

** It came out of nowhere. **

The first sign that it came was the scream, then the sound of ripping flesh. Clarke jolted awake, scrambling out of the dropship into the night.

You couldn’t see it at first; its coat was as dark as the sky. But you could see the movement. Two people sprinted for the dropship, one of them falling down at something leaped onto their back. They screamed as claws dug into their back, pulling them to pieces.

Clarke grabbed her knife, charging in the direction of the mysterious assailant. A reckless, stupid move on her part, but what else was she to do? With a yell, she stabbed her knife between the shoulder blades of the four-legged beast. It yowled, turning so fast that she lost her grip on the hilt. It was on her before she could blink.

It was heavy, she noticed as it stood on her chest, claws tearing at her stomach. Its yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness, tell-tale signs that it was a feline. With this discovery, it took a second for the pain to hit. But when it did, it hit full blast.

She couldn’t hold back her screams. It wasn’t on her for long, though - someone, some stupid, wanna-be heroic kid tackled it to the ground. She rolled over, attempting to stand but collapsing back into the dirt. She could hear the shrieks of the big cat, far too big to be normal, and the chortled wail as it died, but she was only aware of the excruciating pain, the blood leaking from her torso and soaking the ground.

In all the confusion, someone grabbed her by the armpits, pulling her back. She bit her lip hard enough that it bled. Eventually, they slipped their arms beneath her, lifting her to their chest, and the shock of pain that went through her was enough to send her spiraling toward the darkness. Hushed whispers filled her ears but she was gone before she could hear.

-

She woke up more comfortable than she’d ever been.

Unfortunately, she was also in agonizing pain.

It had dulled since she was last awake, and there was something cold smeared over her wound that soothed a bit of t h e heat, but it still hurt to even breathe. She groaned loudly, opening her eyes and immediately closing them. 

She heard a quiet laugh and slowly blinked awake. Sitting beside her bed, dressed in a way she’d never been before, was Lexa.

She flinched, wincing from the pain. “Lexa?” Her voice cracked harshly. “Where am I?”

“You’re in  _ Tondisi _ .” She reached over to rest a hand on Clarke’s arm. “I brought you here after the attack on your camp.”

TonDC. The  _ Trikru  _ capital. She remembered Lexa telling her about it. “Why am I here?”

“The  _ Skenripa _ did great harm to you. I feared the skills of your delinquents would not be adequate enough to care for you.” She looked at Clarke, slightly nervous but hidden behind a mask that she hadn’t seen for a while. “I had to use the ruse that you were a prisoner. I hope you do not mind.”

_ Prisoner?  _ “Will I be able to leave?”

“Assuredly,” Lexa replied. “I will have you back to your people as soon as you are healed.”

“I need to get back to them  _ now _ .” She struggled to sit up, the bandages around her stomach keeping her stiff. “They’re probably worried.”

“Oh, they are. They’ve sent out search parties for you. But you cannot go back to them as you are.”

“I have to.” She threw her legs over the side of the bed, gritting her teeth painfully. “There are probably a ton of injuries. I’m the only healer there.”

“Yes, but none are on the same level as yours,” Lexa argued. “The others can survive with what they have until you are fit to travel.”

“Which would be days, maybe weeks. I have to get back.” She rose to her feet, swaying unsteadily for a second before her knees crumpled. Lexa lunged forward and caught her, helping her sit back onto the bed. 

“Klark, you cannot even stand. There is no hope for you getting back to your people today.” Lexa pushed her into the furs. “Rest.”

“ _ No _ , Lexa, I can’t!”

“ _ Heda _ ?” They both froze, Lexa’s face instantly turning emotionless. A guard peeked his head through the entrance. “ _ Em ething ait _ ?”

“ _ Sha _ ,  _ Gostos _ .  _ Em’s ogeda ona rak op _ .” He dipped his head respectfully, backing out of the tent.

Clarke was frozen in place. “Who was that?”

“My guard.” Lexa sat down next to Clarke, thinking carefully about how to word this. “Klark, there is something about me which I haven’t told you.”

Clarke knew that she was uninformed about Lexa’s life, very much so, but the way she spoke made it sound huge. She stiffened, nodding for Lexa to continue.

Lexa took a deep breath, schooling her face into apathy. “You have heard me speak of the commander, yes?”

“Of course. She was the one who kept us alive.”

“Yes, well…” Lexa, always one to keep things blunt, pushed right ahead. “The commander - is myself.”

It took many long moments for her words to register. Clarke’s face turned from something akin to concern to confusion. “You’re the  _ commander _ ?”

Lexa nodded mutely.

“But then -” Clarke inhaled long and deep, struggling to keep her mind in one place. “You were the one who spared us? Who ordered us to be observed? Who was the one observing  _ us _ ?”

“Yes.” Lexa pursed her lips. “You have to understand, Klark - I am revered as a god among my people. If you were to tell the other Skairku, not that I believe you would, but if you had, it is entirely possible I would be evicted from my position. To have friendly relations with what my people consider to be an enemy is sacrilege.”

Clarke thought over it all in her head, leaving Lexa waiting anxiously. Finally, she answered. “Then why tell me now? Why bring me to TonDC?”

“Because I need you. Out of all the Skaikru, you are by far the most promising. To lose you would be to lose the most powerful influence they have that is keeping them from starting a war with us.”

“Oh, so this is all about politics?” Clarke knew that it wasn’t, deep in her heart, she knew, but the way Lexa was speaking of her as if she was only cared about because of her  _ influence _ \- it got to her. “I don’t matter, of course not, just that you keep a handhold over my people.”

“Klark, no, that’s not all it is.”

“But that’s part of it. A big part, probably. Why would the great commander want to befriend a measly  _ Skaikru  _ girl?” Clarke narrowed her eyes. “It was all a part of a plan, wasn’t it? To use me as a pawn in your scheme?”

“It’s not like that at all!” Lexa reached out to take one of her hands, feeling a pang of hurt at Clarke’s rejection. “Maybe it was at first, but I trust you, Klark. In ways I should not. I consider you a friend, and hope it can stay that way after this.”

God, Clarke wanted that, too. Every moment she’d spent with Lexa had been one of the best. Never before had someone treated her the way Lexa did, not like she was the daughter of Jake and Abby Griffin, but like she was  _ Clarke _ . Lexa didn’t know of her past, and what she did know, she didn’t judge her on. It was a feeling she’d soaked in every time she was in Lexa’s presence. But to learn that all this time, Lexa had been  _ lying  _ to her-

She took a deep breath. She needed to look at this from Lexa’s side. And, even through the feeling of betrayal, she could see that Lexa was right. It was a smart move. 

But still-

No. She couldn’t.

“I don’t forgive you.” Lexa’s face dropped even more, her emotionless facade completely gone. “But I’ll give you another chance. I want to be your friend, Lexa, I really do, but I have to know that I can trust you. Even if you are the commander.”

Lexa nodded. “Of course, Klark.”

“Then get me back to my people.”

Lexa sighed. “I cannot convince you to stay, can I?”

“No.”

“Then I will have it arranged to be taken back to your people as soon as I can.”

Clarke paused at that. “You won’t be taking me back?” No, of course she wouldn't, she’s the damn commander. Then again, she  _ had  _ been the one watching them.

Lexa cocked her head. “Do you want me to?”

“I’d… prefer that, yes.” As much as she despised Lexa right now, she still trusted her more than anyone else that might be in the town. At least she knew her.

“Then I will. Let me inform Indra that I will be taking you back myself, and then we shall depart.” Clarke nodded, unsure exactly of what Lexa’s position as commander entailed for this, but deciding now wasn’t the time to ask. Not when it would only delay them.

Lexa left, and Clarke waited impatiently, left alone to her thoughts. Why had Lexa been watching them personally? She had scouts to do that for her. And then why had she of all people decided to try and make friends with one of the Skaikru? It would’ve been easier for her to have someone else do it. Unless she didn’t trust her people to do it correctly. 

She pondered over this for the entire time she was alone, her mind filled with questions about Lexa. If she had been lying about this, who knew what else she was lying about?

Lexa finally stepped back into the tent, walking over to the bed. “Come, Klark. If you are ready, we are prepared to leave.”

Much to her dismay, she needed Lexa’s help to make it out of the tent. With Clarke leaning heavily against her side, Lexa led them out of the tent over to the stables.

Clarke took one look at the horses and shut down. “Oh, no. I can’t ride a horse.”

Lexa sent her an inquisitive look. “Why not? They will hasten our journey.”

“I don’t know how. Plus, it wouldn’t help my injury.”

“Neither would walking the entire way there. It is a day’s walk, Klark. The horse will at least lessen the pressure placed on your injury.”

Clarke frowned, her mind searching for an alternative. “But what about crutches?”

“Crutches.” Lexa’s mouth contorted awkwardly around the word. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“They were things that you put under your arm and acted as legs. You’d step forward with them and then use them to walk.”

Lexa cocked her head. “I have never heard of such a device. Is it like your  _ tek _ ?”

“No, it’s… nevermind.” She sighed loudly. “Do you at least have painkillers?”

“ _ Sha _ . I asked a  _ sekon  _ to retrieve them for me earlier.”

“You mean the girl currently sprinting toward us?”

Lexa looked in the direction and had to hold back a chuckle as the girl skidded to a stop, holding out a bag of herbs. “Thank you, Tris. Do you remember what Anya told you about running through the village like that?”

Tris flushed. “That it is undignified of me.”

“ _ Sha _ , it is. It could also cause harm to yourself or others. You are not a child, Tris.”

She ducked her head. “ _ Moba _ ,  _ Heda _ .”

Lexa nodded. “Good. Now run along.”

The girl scampered off. Lexa opened the bag, plucking out two of the berries. “Eat these. They should take effect soon.”

Clarke took them from her hand and bit into them, grimacing at the bitter taste. “Now can we walk?”

“It will take longer. On the herbs, as long as you have a steady mount, your injury should be able to handle a lope. It will cut the time in half.”

Clarke bit her lip. As much as she hated the idea of riding a horse, she couldn’t deny the benefits. “Fine. But we leave them behind once we get close to camp.”

Lexa nodded. “Of course, Klark.”

A stablehand brought out two horses, a mutated two-headed mare and a large, regal white stallion. The stablehand helped her onto the horse while Lexa easily mounted hers. Lexa quickly briefed her on how to ride a horse while she guided them both through the streets, nodding politely to the guards as they opened the gates for her.

Before they could make it out of the gates, a loud  _ boom  _ rocked the earth. Clarke’s horse reared up, still held in place by Lexa, who had its reins in her hands. Clarke gasped at the sudden pain but quickly forgot it as she watched something come flaming down, outlined by the setting sun. A  _ thwump  _ so strong they could hear it from there sounded as a parachute sprang out behind it, slowing it down until it crashed behind the trees.

Lexa wrapped the reins of Clarke’s horse tightly around her hand. “Hold on.”

Clarke had to hold back a yelp as Lexa kicked her horse into a gallop. She grasped at her horse’s mane, leaning over its shoulders and watching the trees fly past in a blur. The jolts made her wince with each stride, but she could hold it together. She watched Lexa instead, the way her braided locks sailed out behind her, how the red sash flickered and whipped in the wind, the way her jacket flared out behind her. 

They rode through the setting of the sun and past the starry twilight, only stopping when the starlight dimmed so low that it was impossible to see the trees around them. Lexa dismounted, tying both horses to a tree. “I hope you are comfortable sleeping on the ground,” Lexa said, helping her off her horse. “You will have to tonight.”

“I’ll be alright,” Clarke said, hovering awkwardly. Lexa sat down with her back to one of the large oaken trees. Watching. Waiting.

Clarke leaned against her horse, eyeing Lexa back. Lexa nodded to the ground. “Are you going to sleep or not?”

“Are you not?”

Lexa shook her head. “Dangers lurk in the night. If we both slept, we might never awaken.”

Oh. That wasn’t at all worrying. Though after last night’s attack, she supposed she couldn’t argue. With slow, careful movements, she stumbled away from the horses, dropping down onto the forest floor. She hadn’t realized how much her legs ached after riding for hours, and she was thankful to succumb to sleep.

-

Clarke woke to the smell of cooked meat. She rolled onto her back, groaning as her injury stretched. Eyes opening blurrily, she could see that Lexa had lit a fire, and had a rabbit cooking over it. From the other side, her eyes met Lexa’s.

She sat up slowly, her hand reflexively clutching her stomach. Lexa smiled politely at her. “The food is just about ready. We’ll mount up immediately after. I hope to reach the new skaiship before your people do.”

The other ship! Clarke looked up at the sky, noting that it was just barely dawn. She doubted any of the delinquents would be awake. They’d probably reach it before them unless they had to ride for another couple hours. Whether she  _ wanted  _ her and Lexa to reach it first would depend on what was inside.

Neither she nor Lexa spoke as they ate, both avoiding the other’s gaze. Clarke clearly remembered yesterday, Lexa newfound position as commander of the twelve clans. For someone so powerful, she seemed oddly affectionate, at least toward Clarke. She wondered if that was on purpose, and if so, why.

Or maybe Lexa genuinely wanted Clarke to like her.

With such a large political divide between them, it was hard to be sure.

Back on the horses, Lexa set a slower pace, more comfortable but still speedy. Clarke was thankful for that, whether Lexa did it for her or not. Her thighs already ached from last night’s sprint.

They reached the ship within the hour. Lexa had left their horses behind, two people falling from the trees to take them, people who Clarke now knew were Lexa’s guards. She had no doubt some were following them now. They’d probably had eyes on the ship since it landed.

The ship had mostly settled, a bit of smoke still leaking from the engine. It looked untouched. Lexa hung back at the tree line and watched Clarke approach it, a hand reaching back to settle on her sword. She had no idea what the Skaikru were capable of sending in the Skaiship.

Clarke opened the door, ducking inside as soon as she could. There were no supplies, no stores of food or blankets for the cold, but what there was…

Clarke clambered into the ship, kneeling on the adjacent seat and shaking the shoulder of the girl inside. Her helmet had been completely fogged up with her breath, cracks running all across it, leaving the face obscured. Blood leaked from the top. A concussion, most likely, if not something worse. She was alive, at least. Clarke could see that much.

The girl moaned in pain, head lolling to the side as a hand reached up to touch her head. Clarke caught it. “Hey. Leave it.”

The girl removed her helmet, shaking her sweaty hair out of her face. She blinked up at Clarke. “Where am I?”

Clarke couldn’t help a grin. “You’re on the ground.”

She helped the other girl out, first noticing that Lexa was nowhere to be seen. The next thing she noticed was Finn bursting out of the trees.

Finn froze, staring in disbelief. The other girl stared right back, a huge grin stretching over her face. Clarke hesitantly let her go, watching her waver a bit but was otherwise fine. “Raven?”

Newly-named Raven laughed. “Finn!”

They rushed to each other, embracing heartily. They spoke softly, too low for Clarke to hear, and she watched with rising disgust as they kissed. 

Breaking apart, Clarke wandered closer, listening to their conversation. From what she could gather, Raven had rebuilt the ship from scrap, coming down to the ground… to be with Finn. “I would do anything for you,” she said, voice filled with adoration. “Just like you would for me.”

At Finn’s glance toward Clarke, she knew that Finn would, in fact,  _ not  _ do anything for her. Not when it came down to obsessing over another girl.

Raven faltered, knees collapsing, and Finn carefully set her down. Jogging back to Clarke, she handed him a medkit. He looked at her guiltily. “I’m sorry.”

Ha. Like that would cut it. “Let’s not talk about this.”

Finn nodded, pursing his lips and turning back to Raven. She followed him. “This is Clarke,” he said. “She was on the dropship.”

Raven looked back to her, eyes widening in recognition. “Clarke? This was all because of your mom. This was all her plan. We were trying to come down together, we were waiting, but…” Raven’s smile began to sink. “Oh, no. We were waiting because the council was voting whether or not to kill three hundred people to save oxygen.”

Clarke felt her breath rush past her lips. “When?”

“Today!” Pushing past them both, she stumbled over to the ship, grabbing hastily for it. “We have to tell them you’re alive!”

Ducking under the door, Raven leaned against the control panel, bending over to see the radio. She was still for a moment, unmoving, before she turned back to them. “The radio’s gone. It must have gotten loose during reentry.”

Shit. Shit, shit,  _ shit _ , that was bad. If the Ark was going to slaughter three hundred people and they had no way to tell them otherwise? They’d stay up in the sky forever, slowly losing oxygen until there was no one left alive.

Raven began to curse, pounding her fist against the side of the pod. Clarke put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey. We have someone at the dropship working on a way to communicate with the Ark. If you’re as genius a mechanic as you claim to be, maybe we can have it done before they start the killing.”

“Is it close to done?”

“I have no idea.” She looked at Finn. He shrugged. Clarke swore under her breath. “Last time I checked, no, but I’ve been gone all day. I don’t know.”

“Speaking of which,” Finn said, drawing both their attention. “Where have you been?”

Clarke pursed her lips. “The middle of the forest. Don’t ask, because I don’t know either.”

Not very believable, but it would have to do.”

“Well, let’s get going!” Raven said, grabbing Finn’s arm and pulling him. “Which way?”

Finn led her away, looking back at Clarke with perhaps the most pitiful expression on his face. She scoffed. If he thought he could get off the hook just from that, he was sorely mistaken.

She followed behind them, watching Finn and Raven talk softly, grinning like they were crazy in love. One of them was, at least.

She felt something brush her shoulder and turned, startled to see Lexa, feet planted against the side of a tree, one hand gripping a branch above her. Clarke felt both relieved and annoyed. “What, was I not walking quietly enough?”

Lexa ignored that, leaning closer. “We have a bit of a problem,” she muttered, so quiet that Clarke had to strain to hear her. “My scouts reported that one of your people had wandered a distance from camp and fell down a slope, injuring herself.”

Clarke glanced warily back at Finn and Raven, but neither were paying attention to her. “Where are they?”

“That’s the problem.” Lexa’s eyes followed hers to the other skaikru. “One of my scouts disobeyed my direct orders to leave the Skaikru alone.”

Clarke felt dread settle in her stomach. “And?”

“He took her. I’m afraid one of my people has one of yours hostage.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so many things to say just bear with me here.
> 
> First of all: this chapter. It wasn't the plan to have Lexa reveal her position here, but after writing the scene I realized it would be kind of impossible to be in TonDC with Lexa and not know who she was. If Lexa's reactions seem a bit OOC to you, they probably are, but remember that the two groups haven't had any actual conflict yet. No spears to the chest or anything like that. Also, they've known each other for weeks now.
> 
> Second: my long break. I'm sorry about that, I was busy working on Clexa Week (go read my clexa week fics, by the way. Some of my favorite writings.) but now that I don't have anything like that going on, this has my full attention. Well, almost full attention. I made a couple promises to give some of my clexa week fics sequels, so I have those to do as well.
> 
> Third: Hopefully updates will be coming sooner now because, for those who don't know, I'm still in school, and we're out of school until April Sixth because 1) spring break starts on the twenty-third and 2) the coronavirus hit our area and all the schools are now closed as a precaution. A bit of an overreaction? Maybe. It's whatever.
> 
> Anyways, this was at least a thousand words longer than usual. Hope you enjoyed!


	7. Problems Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Shouldn’t you be helping your people?”
> 
> Clarke grinned. At least this was still the same. “No. I came looking for you.”
> 
> She turned as Lexa hopped down from a tree, landing with silent grace.

**Octavia was missing.**

Truthfully, it didn’t surprise Clarke that Octavia was the one to wander off. She had an adventurous spirit, perhaps a bit _too_ adventurous. It was always her goal to break the rules. 

Of course, Bellamy was freaking out. “Clarke!” Ignoring Raven, he practically bolted towards them. “Have you seen Octavia?”

  
 _Not like I’ve been gone for the past twelve hours_. “No. Is she not in camp?”

  
“No one’s seen her since this morning.” He started to pace, hands shaking. “What if another one of those monsters has her? What if she got lost and can’t find her way back? She could be _dead!_ ”

She was tempted to roll her eyes at his dramatics, but he was right. Between the forest life, the clans, and the Maunon (not like he knew about the latter two), if she didn’t already know what had happened to her, she might assume the same. Then again, she might _still_ be dead. Who knew what the scout would do with her.

“Bellamy. Calm down. We’ll figure it out,” Clarke said, resting a hand on his arm. “What have you done about it?”

“Nothing! Nobody fucking believes me!” He looked scornfully at the other delinquents. “They think she’s just doing this to spite me.”

That did sound like Octavia. “Okay. We’ll send out search parties and see what we can find. Get a group together and head out.” She looked back to Finn and Raven, who was looking around at the pitifully barely-surviving teenagers. “Take Finn with you. You’ll need a tracker.”

Raven looked at her, eyebrows furrowed. “What about me?”

“You’re in no condition to go out. Even if you were, I need you to work with Monty on contacting the Ark. It’s important that we reach them before they go through with the killing.” 

She sighed. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll get right on it.” Finn helped her past, sending Clarke an affectionate smile. She wrinkled her nose. He really needed to stop.

“What about you, princess?” Bellamy said. “Knowing you, there must be some other problem to fix, or you’d be in there with Raven.”

“Yeah,” she said, looking into the trees. “After the attack last night, I’m worried. I’m going to try and rally enough people into helping me build a wall. We don’t have any way of defense, and we need one.”

He nodded, already picking out people to take with him. “You do that.”

She looked after him as he walked off, her mind turning. She mumbled something under her breath. “I don’t think I will.”

-

Clarke started to organize people to set up a wall. After the attack, most people were all too willing. She set people up in groups, telling people to collect wood, vines, anything that might be useful for setting up a wall. She snagged a couple teens from Mecha Station and told them to take charge of setting up the actual wall. If there was anyone who would know how to, it would be the mechanics.

She set out under the pretense of collecting wood.

She went alone.

She would not be collecting wood.

Hoping she was right, Clarke walked a familiar path, eyes on the trees. Just because she couldn’t see anything didn’t mean there wasn’t anything there.

She stopped in a clearing she’d seen many times before. The knife marks in the trees reminded her of when things weren’t so complicated. Which would really be little more than a day ago. God, had it really only been that long?

“Shouldn’t you be helping your people?”

Clarke grinned. At least this was still the same. “No. I came looking for you.”

She turned as Lexa hopped down from a tree, landing with silent grace. She looked at the marked tree, mouth pressing together. “You cannot possibly want to resume our lessons.”

“That isn’t why I’m here.” She stepped closer, watching Lexa’s face flicker between confusion and her mask of apathy. It seemed that, after last night, their standings were more unsure. Clarke couldn’t blame her. She felt much the same. “You said your scout took one of my people. Is there anything else you can tell me about the situation?”

Lexa tilted her head thoughtfully. “The scout’s name is Lincon. He is the son of one of my most trusted allies and has never been anything but kind. I cannot guess as to what his intentions are, but I don’t believe he will hurt her.”

“Do you know where I can find him?”

Lexa shook her head. “I do not, however, he might be able to be tracked. If he was carrying an injured girl, there will be obvious marks left behind.”

“So we can find him. Good.” Clarke sighed in relief, her eyes slipping shut for just a moment.

Lexa shifted, unsure of herself. It was unusual. As the commander, she was always required to be confident, to know what she was doing, but Clarke made her confused. She liked the girl, hoped they could work closely together as negotiations started up, but it was more than that. She’d relished in the ease with which they interacted before, and it was gone now. The air between them was tense. She didn’t like it at all.

Which did bring up the point. “When do you plan on telling your people?”

  
Clarke pursed her lips. “They’re organized enough now. And after this, Octavia will probably have loads to say about Lincoln, so-” her eyes widened. “Shit. Bellamy’s leading a tracking party after her.”

Lexa cocked her head. “Do you think he will harm my scout?”

“I think that since your scout basically kidnapped his sister, who knows what he’ll do.” She looked up at Lexa. “Where was Octavia captured?”

Lexa glanced at the sky, checking the position of the sun. “This way. Come.”

Clarke followed Lexa out of the clearing, noting how her body subconsciously fell into the routine of quieting her steps when following Lexa. She could hear groups of delinquents in the woods around them, performing the duties Clarke had set upon them, duties which she had forgone to meet with Lexa. It was important, though. It was. 

Lexa guided her easily through the trees, always knowing where to step without ever having to look at her feet. Clarke envied the grace with which she moved, swiftly and quietly, a sharp contrast to Clarke’s loud, untrained steps. She wondered when they began to teach their children the ways of a hunter.

Lexa stilled, Clarke having to catch herself before she could stumble into her. Lexa glanced back at her, ushering her forward. “Quietly.”

They were at the bottom of a rocky slope. Clarke knew immediately that this was where Octavia had been. There were obvious signs of a tumble: rocks scattered at the bottom, grass torn up, cracked branches. Lexa crouched, dipping her hand down into the dirt. Her fingers came up dusted with glistening red.

Clarke scanned the ground. “They’ve already been here, haven’t they?” She said, voice low.

“ _Sha_. If we want to catch up to them, we will need to move swiftly.” She glanced back to Clarke. “Perhaps you should stay here.”

“What?” Clarke shook her head. “Absolutely not. Octavia would never agree to go anywhere with you.”

“That isn’t what we need. We just need to convince Lincoln to let her go.” Lexa turned, standing back up to meet her gaze. “I know these forests better than you, Klark. I can be in and out before Belomi even gets close.”

“So you think I’ll be a hindrance?”

“Yes.” Clarke was about to protest, but Lexa lifted her hand. “But it is not only that. If you were to come and deliver Octavia personally, it would raise questions. How did you get there, how did you know, and they would discover your connection to us. Not that this is a bad thing, but if they were to discover this way, it would put you in a bad light and dampen your influence over the _Skaikru_. You cannot be there.”

Sometimes she hated how smart Lexa was. “Fine. I’ll go back to my people, and you convince Lincoln to let Octavia go. Shouldn’t be very hard for you, Commander.”

If she’d waited another second, she would’ve seen Lexa’s pained expression as her mask fell from her face.

-

Lexa moved through the trees, slipping unnoticed past the _Skaikru_ search party. Their ignorance still managed to amaze her. She had never once seen them look up, well, except for maybe Clarke.

Clarke.

There was something about her. Even now that she knew Lexa was the commander, even if her snarky remarks were now more disguised insults, Lexa found it hard to keep herself steady around her. After Costia had died, years ago, Lexa’s mask had hardened into something unbreakable. It was impossible to read her, even those who’d known her since she was a child. But Clarke- she could make Lexa drop the mask without even trying.

It both thrilled and terrified her.

Knowing this, Clarke had become dangerous- with Lexa’s guards almost constantly around, she knew they’d seen her moments of weakness. And if they could see it, so could her enemies. Keeping Clarke around her was dangerous for both of them. She didn’t want Clarke to suffer.

She didn’t want Clarke to become another Costia.

She shook her head, trying to erase all thoughts of both girls from her mind. Even now, Clarke was a distraction. A weakness. One she had to keep hidden well.

With the Skaikru _goufas_ no longer in sight, Lexa dropped to the ground. She was still on the right path- wherever Lincoln had taken Octavia, he’d made a straight-shot for it. Lucky for Lexa, not so lucky for him.

She continued to follow the trail from the ground, keeping her ears focused on the sounds of the Skaikru behind her. Crossing over the bridge into Trikru territory, she was glad Clarke had the initiative to send her (even if Clarke hadn’t _wanted_ to send her) ahead. If the search party went too deep into Trikru territory, a guard might strike them down. Wherever Lincoln had gone, she hoped it wasn’t too far ahead. The Skaikru might still be in danger.

Just in case, though, she called a scout down from the trees and gave a run-down of the situation. They were not to attack. Only watch.

It seemed she had been right to hope Lincoln was close, for she found just ahead a small opening in the rocks that the trail led into. She stopped at the entrance, listening. 

It was quiet inside. She’d have to take her chances.

She walked as silently as possible, keeping to the shadows. It wasn’t a big place, but it was obviously a home of sorts. There was a bed of furs, bags stuffed full of herbs and meat. As she continued down the thin corridor, she began to pick up on the sound of breathing.

Rounding the corner, she looked upon another room, fairly large, with a single person inside. A young girl, one she recognized from the Skaikru camp. Octavia. She’d been cleaned of blood and seemed unharmed if you didn’t count the wrist that was tied to a pole. She was asleep. Or unconscious.

Lexa crouched in front of her. It looked as if she had a head injury, one that had been cleaned and disinfected with herbs Lexa could never hope to name. Various cuts and bruises littered her body. None were fresh. Lincoln had been caring for her. He had kidnapped her so he could heal her. Strangely befitting of him.

That wasn’t what she was here for, though. She was here to get her out.

As if on cue, the sound of footsteps behind her alerted her to another’s presence. She stood, hands resting on the knives sheathed at her hip, and turned to face the intruder.

Lincoln. Who else was she expecting? The look on his face was one of shock, and he almost dropped what he was carrying. “ _Heda_!”

She felt a rush of amusement but didn’t dare let it show. “ _Linkon_ .” She nodded to Octavia. “ _Em laik Skaikru_ (She is Skaikru).”

He looked down guiltily. “ _Em don laksen_ , _Heda_ . _Ai nou don teik em wan op_ (She was injured, Heda. I couldn’t let her die).”

“ _Den yu don jak em op_ (So you stole her)?” Lexa walked closer to him. “ _Skaikru laik ste lufa gon em. Yu don’s nou stelt_ (Skaikru are searching for her. You were not discreet).”

“ _Moba_ , _Heda_.” He looked back up to her, eyes going over her shoulder and widening. She turned, the red felt tucked into her clothing swirling around her feet. Her eyes met the glossy grey-green eyes of Octavia.

Her wrist was straining against the rope. “Hey! Girl! Do you speak English? This guy won’t tell me anything!”

She fought back the smile that tugged at her lips. It wasn’t often she was so blatantly disrespected.

Lexa turned to Lincoln. “ _Teik em gonot_ (Let her go).”

He looked at her in disbelief. “ _Heda_ -”

“ _Dula’m daun_ (Do it).” She looked over her shoulder at Octavia, who was watching them both with obvious awe. “ _Stelti_ (Stealthily).”

He dipped his head, muttering a quiet ‘ _sha, Heda_ ’ under his breath as he swept past her. She watched as he untied Octavia’s wrist, offering her help to stand. She attempted to stand on her own, but her legs wobbled beneath her and she accepted his help.

She looked back to Lexa. “So no English, then? What about Spanish? French? _Any_ language?”

  
Well, Trigedasleng. And Gonasleng, but she didn’t need to know that.

Lincoln shushed her, bending down to take a small pouch out of his bag. He placed it in Octavia’s hands, closing them around it and tucking her hand to her chest. Lexa, satisfied that he would follow her orders, left the cave.

She remained to watch, anyway. Positioning herself up in the trees, she observed from a bird’s eye view. The skaikru were very close. Lincoln could not linger long.

He emerged from the cave, ushering Octavia behind him. He pointed to the direction the Skaikru were coming from, back to his cave, and placed a finger over his mouth. She frowned. “You don’t want me to tell them where you live?”

Restricted in his way of replying, he repeated the gesture over. She sighed. “No English. Right. I won’t tell them where you live.”

A bold promise, considering she knew nothing of him. But Lexa had learned that the Skaikru liked to think positively, and many tended to not think about the future. They were short-minded that way. She wondered if the adults thought in the same manner, or if it was just the children.

Lincoln pushed her toward her people, urging her to go ahead. She nodded, smiling at him like he hadn’t kidnapped her, and pushed through the foliage. Lincoln fled back into his cave, crouching at the entrance in case they came back this way.

Lexa moved just behind Octavia, a couple dozen feet up. She watched as the Skaikru party came face-to-face with her, Bellamy dropping his gun in surprise. The two embraced heartily, a sharp contrast to the way Octavia usually treated her brother, but Lexa understood. They were family. It was hard to hate your blood.

Lexa listened to them exchange words as they turned, moving back into what had been dubbed their ‘territory’ (it was still Trikru no matter what they believed). Octavia was excitedly relaying that she had met another person, that he had healed her before he let her go. A couple of the children laughed at that, telling her that it was impossible for people to have survived ‘the bombs,’ which she assumed was _Praimfaya_. Some of the others seemed more interested, pushing Octavia for more. She described Lincoln in-depth, skimming over Lexa, though that could be because she’d only seen her for a moment.

She took note of how the group was divided into the believers and the skeptics. Bellamy seemed to waver, not believing there could be anyone on the ground but not wanting to accuse his sister of a lie. There was only one other in the group which she knew, the _Finn_ boy. He was one of the ones who believed the young girl, seeming almost excited at the thought of other people. It was a childish optimism. Any unknown population should always be assumed hostile until proven otherwise. To guess otherwise could be fatal.

These children were more naïve than she had thought.

With a couple of exceptions.

A guard slipped onto a branch opposite of her. One of hers. Probably following the Skaikru. She signaled for him to follow, waiting for his assent before moving ahead of the party, back towards the Skaikru ship.

-

The construction was going well.

Nobody questioned what had taken her so long, thankfully, and she assisted in setting up the wood. The people she’d put in charge of organization had people working on different things, some cutting the wood down to a workable size, some setting up the thicker pieces as support beams, and Clarke joined a group of people lining up thinner wood between two of the poles. Overall, it was going smoothly.

The leaves rustled overhead and Clarke glanced up to meet Lexa’s bright green eyes. She nodded out towards the forest, offering the slightest of smiles before ducking back into the foliage.

Clarke heard shouts come from the direction Lexa had pointed. The search party Bellamy had led out came in through what would become the front gates, Octavia safely by her brother’s side. Clarke suppressed a sigh of relief.

The party scattered, starting to talk animatedly with their peers. Octavia caught her eye, walking quickly over. She grasped Clarke’s forearms excitedly. “Clarke, oh my god, you wouldn’t _believe_ what happened!”

Actually, she could.

Octavia had a giant grin on her face. “People, Clarke! There are people here!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooh, what's gonna happen?
> 
> Hopefully, with the world being closed, I'll be able to get more done, which would mean more updates! We're getting to the more exciting parts as well, which means I'll be more motivated to update. So hooray!
> 
> I love reviews. Even just an 'I love it' makes my day. You don't' understand just how much I doubt myself, and knowing people like what I write always cheers me up. 
> 
> Stay safe!


	8. New Extensions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why are you not freaking out?” Octavia pointed out into the woods. “People, Clarke! People survived the radiation!”
> 
> “I know!” Clarke raised her hands. “I know. I’ve known for a while, actually.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm not very proud of this, but it'll do for now. I might go back and redo some of this after part one is finished because my plotting skills for some of this were SHIT.
> 
> Whatever. Hope you enjoy it anyway!

**“People, Clarke! There are people here!”**

The other delinquents began to crowd in closer, wanting to hear Octavia’s accounts of these ‘people.’ Octavia had a huge grin on her face, looking awestruck at her discovery. “Oh my god, what are we going to do? How did they survive? Do you think they’ll help us? I mean, that guy helped me, but if they knew we were here why haven’t they helped us yet?  _ Did  _ they know we were here?”

Octavia’s ecstatic rambles gave Clarke no time to speak, and really, that was probably for the better. She’d known this was coming, but she hadn’t actually decided how she would deal with it. She’d need to tell Octavia first, maybe the others in her little ‘group’ and decide what to do from there. She’d need to know what people wanted to do, whether they wanted to ally with them, to attack them, and from there how to approach them about the topic of the current alliance.

“Wait, wait.” Monty and Raven pushed through the crowd, coming up next to Clarke. “You met someone?”

“Yes! A grounder!”  _ Grounder?  _ “People survived the radiation!”

“People survived?” Raven repeated, eyes glazing over as she thought. “Do you think they c ould help us?”

“This guy helped me. He treated my head.”

Raven nodded. “Could we ally with them? They could help us find food.”

If she didn’t feel so guilty, Clarke might have laughed.  _ Already done _ .

“Maybe. But-” Octavia’s grin fell, her shoulders slumping. “That might not be s o easy, actually.”

“What? Why?”

Octavia shrugged helplessly. “I don’t think they speak English. I tried talking to the guy, but he didn’t seem to understand. And when another grounder came in, they spoke in some other language. She didn’t seem to understand, either.”

_ Lexa _ . Clarke’s eyes flicked up, half expecting to see said girl crouched in the trees.

“Okay, so that’s a problem.” Raven clenched her jaw. “What if-”

“You seriously believe this bullshit?”

All eyes turned to the speaker. Clarke vaguely recognized him, never having spoken, but she’d gone hunting with him once. John Mbege. He’d been one of Murphy’s lackeys. From the way he held himself, Clarke knew he’d be a problem. “There aren’t any other people here. Where have they been? Why haven’t we seen them? No one has found even a single  _ hint  _ that there might be people. Are you really going to take her word for this?”

Clarke held back a snarl, stepping up in front of Octavia. “Are you accusing her of lying? Making this up?”

“That’s  _ exactly  _ what I’m doing.” He looked to Octavia, a cocky grin on his face. “The girl under the floor- she’s been locked up her whole life. I bet this sort of attention is just what she wants. What’s your plan, girl? When we don’t find them?”

Octavia scowled. “Oh yeah? Explain this, then?” She pointed to the bandage wrapped around her head. “Where’d I find that, huh? Just some bandage lying around in the forest?”

Mbege laughed. “Probably just some poor kid’s shirt you tore to pieces. Nice try, girl.”

“Hey!” Bellamy pushed his way out of the crowd, squaring up to Mbege. “Don’t talk about my sister like that!”

Mbege raised an eyebrow. “You believe this shit she’s saying? I get she’s your sister, but damn. I mean, I understand those losers,” jerking his head towards Clarke and them, “but you? I thought you were smarter than that.”

Bellamy raised his fist but Clarke stepped between them, hands up. “That’s enough. Believe what you will, arguing won’t solve anything. Take some time to calm down and think about this. We’ll talk tomorrow and decide what we want to do. Good?” When nobody objected, not even Mbege, she dropped her hands. “Back to work.”

The teens scattered. Clarke went back to Octavia, Raven, and Monty. “Why don’t you keep working on the radio? I’ll check in with you in a bit,” Clarke said. Raven’s eyes  flickered between her and Octavia, but she nodded, Monty following after her. Clarke turned to Octavia. “Can we talk?”

She led Octavia out into the woods outside camp, far enough that no one could listen in from inside. She was vaguely aware of the people in the trees above them, watching, listening. Lexa was probably up there. Maybe Lincoln, too.

“We can’t wait until tomorrow, Clarke!” Octavia said. “There are people out there! We should go to them! Give them a peace offering or something, show them we’re friendly.”

“After what Mbege just said, I’m not sure we’re exactly ‘friendly.’” Clarke looked back to camp, her mind already running through different ways to convince Mbege and them to not be so hostile.

“Why are you not freaking out?” Octavia pointe d out into the woods. “People, Clarke! People survived the radiation!”

  
“I know!” Clarke raised her hands. “I know. I’ve known for a while, actually.”

Octavia stood still for a moment. “What?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she said, eyes darting down. “I didn’t know how the delinquents would take it. And from what just happened, it’s probably a good thing I didn’t.”

Octavia didn’t seem mad, surprisingly, just confused. “You mean the first day? When you’d thought you saw someone?”

Shit, she’d forgotten she told Octavia about that. “Yeah. I wasn’t imagining it. I know because I met her.” She stepped closer. “I agree with you about this. We need their help to survive. We need their allegiance.”

“How? They don’t speak English.”

“... they do.” Clarke steeled herself for this part, the one that would undoubtedly go wrong. “I’ve met their leader. We’ve come to an agreement.”

“You’ve  _ met _ -” Octavia scowled, eyes narrowing. “And you didn’t think to tell us?”

“Did you see what Mbege just did?” Clarke stepped closer. “If Mbege and them had decided to attack the clans, they’d be starting a war we would not win. There are hundreds of thousands of them. We’d be demolished.”

“And he’s going to feel so much better knowing you hid it from them.”

Clarke pursed her lips. “They don’t have to know how  _ long  _ I’ve hidden it from them. We just need to convince them to accept the clans’ help. They’d need to work for it, but I think they can do it.”

Octavia stared at her a moment longer, not happy but not protesting. “So what deal did you make with them?”

“Do you remember Mount Weather?”

“Of course. What does that have to do with this?”

“I’ve been told that people do live there. And they aren’t the nicest.” Clarke looked at the peak, barely breaking through the treeline. “They’ve been terrorizing the clans for generations. Some of the  _ Trikru _ \- Grounders- have told me what they know. I promised to help them bring it down.”

“I’m sorry,  _ what _ ?” Octavia moved back. “There  _ are  _ people there? What do you mean they’ve been terrorizing the Grounders? Could they help us?”

“That’s another thing I’m worried about. That people will want to ally with them instead of the clans.” Clarke felt disgust boil up inside her at just the thought of what the mountain men were doing. “The mountain men- the clans call them  _ Maunon _ \- have been kidnapping people. They don’t know much about what happens, but some of the people they take become, I guess rabid. The mountain men send them out to then kidnap more people.”

Octavia wrinkled her nose. “So not nice. And you promised what?”

“To help defeat them. They’re tech-based, just like the Ark is. The clans aren’t. With our knowledge and their strength, I think we could do it.”

Clarke met Octavia’s gaze, holding it until Octavia let up. “Fine. So how do we tell them?”

Clarke was taken aback. “You aren’t mad?”

“No. But good luck with the rest of them.” She backed up, turning to go back to camp.

“Octavia, wait.” She paused. “You’ve met one of them. I’ll need your help to convince them.”

“Yeah, I got that. I was going to go grab our ‘rebel group.’” She turned to give Clarke a scornful look. “Unless you plan to hide it from them, too?”

She felt the guilt once again rush through her. “No.”

“Good.” Clarke watched Octavia walk back into camp, feeling both relief and regret. That hadn’t gone nearly as bad as she had thought it would. On the other hand, who knew how the others would take it?”

“So.” Clarke jumped, spinning. She expected Lexa but was surprised to see Anya hanging down from the tree. The stoic (and admittedly frightening) general she had only met once, and she thought Anya stayed in TonDC. Whatever the case, she was here now. “Who’s the girl?”

Clarke gave her a confused look. “What girl?”

“The one that came down in the smaller ship. Why’s she down here?”

“Oh! Raven.” Anya nodded. “My mom sent her down here. She was supposed to tell the Ark that we’re alive because apparently they think we’re dying off, but the radio broke.”

“Radio?”

“Something we can use to talk with people who are far away. Like the people back in the Ark.” 

Anya nodded, her face giving away nothing. “She will be useful?”

“Very. She was a mechanic on the Ark- she’s good with technology.”

Anya said nothing to that. “You think you can convince them to commit to the alliance?”

“I’m sure I can convince a lot of them. Those that don’t-” she shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“If we have reason to believe any will try and harm our warriors, we will have to restrain them. I hope you know this.”

“Yeah. I do.” Clarke took a long breath. “We’ll deal with that when it comes.”

Anya gave her an incredulous look. “You are going to wait and see what happens?”

“Well, yeah. Hopefully, they can be convinced that you aren’t a threat.”

“Hope.” Anya frowned. “A tricky concept. It will let you down.”

That was motivating. “So what? Just always expect the worst?”

“It’s the smart move. If you are smart, you will do the same.” Anya took a glance back to camp. “There’s your group. Don’t fail.” She pulled herself back up into the tree in one swift move, disappearing into the foliage.

Octavia crashed back through the trees, alone. Clarke opened her mouth to ask where everyone else was, but Octavia beat her to it. “Raven needs you in the dropship. Now.”

Well. This could be very good or very bad.

Clarke followed Octavia back into camp, taking a look at the progress on the  wall before entering the ship. Climbing up to the top level, she found Raven and Monty crouched over something on the ground. Raven perked up at their entry. “Clarke, thank god.”

“What? Has something happened?” She moved over to kneel next to Raven. The radio was on the ground, a tangle of wires and pieces. Knowing nothing of mechanics, she had no idea if this was right or not.

“We have a problem.” Raven tapped the radio. “Most of the pieces we needed were somewhere on this hunk of metal, but we’re missing a transmitter. We need something that can connect from one place to another. Like a remote control.”

“Okay. Do you know where we could find one?”

Raven grabbed her wrist. “The wristbands all have transmitters in them, but they’re only meant to send vitals, not sounds. To make this work, we’d need a ton of them.”

Clarke looked down at the gleaming piece of metal. “Do you think it’ll work?”

Raven scoffed. “Are you doubting me?  _ Of course  _ it will work.”

Clarke nodded. “Then okay. We’ll get however many you need.”

“Great.”

The hatch opened again, Octavia, who she hadn’t even noticed had left, climbing out, followed by Jasper and Finn. Raven nodded to the three of them. “Just starting with a few will be good until I know for sure the wristband’s transmitters will work for radio transmissions.”

Octavia sat down on one of the boxes. “Great. You work on that. Clarke, don’t you have something to say?”

  
Okay, so Octavia _was_ pissed. Of course she was. Why wouldn’t she be?

Jasper leaned against the wall. “What do you mean? You find something good? I could go for a lot of good things right now.”

Clarke pursed her lips. “Not necessarily. The guy Octavia was talking about? He’s real. There are other people down here.”

All eyes fell on her. “Way to put it bluntly,” Octavia muttered.

Clarke relayed everything she’d told Octavia, including about Mount Weather and the alliance. “We need to convince the others to accept the alliance,” she insisted. “Without the clan’s help, we’re dead.”

Monty, whose bracelet was being disassembled by Raven, shifted closer. “How long have you known? This can’t be a new thing.”

“It’s not.” She shrugged as if it was no big deal. “I first saw one the day we landed. I officially met her the next day.”

“So you’ve been  _ lying  _ to us? This whole time?” Jasper accused. “You just went ahead and made an alliance without even telling us?”

“If I had told everyone other people were down here, what would they have done? You saw how Mbege acted. We could have a war on our hands. I don’t want that.” She sighed. “Listen, what’s done is done. We need to find a way to convince the delinquents to accept the clans.”

“You said you met their leader,” Raven said, not looking up from her work. “Could they come here and talk to them? Tell them all they can do for us?”

“Maybe.”

“Great. You do that  _ later _ .” Raven stood, looking down at her work. “Right now, we need more wristbands.”

-

Hours later, with twelve fewer wristbands on than there were before, Raven connected the last of the wires and sat back with a loud sigh. “There’s your radio.”

From Clarke’s point of view, it looked like a mess, but she wasn’t the mechanic. “Okay. Can we start it?”

“Of course. What do you think I am, an engineer?” Raven leaned over it, flipping switches, and everyone sat stock still as it crackled to life. She held down a button. “Earth to Ark, come in. Earth to Ark, can you hear me?”

She repeated the phrase over and over, receiving nothing more than static in return. The tension in the room only grew as a response failed to come in.

It took a minute, but a loud crackle interrupted Raven’s spew. “ _ This is Ark space station, who is this? Over _ .”

Everyone heaved a collective sigh of relief. Raven grinned. “Ark station, this is Raven Reyes, contacting from Earth. The earth is survivable. I repeat, the earth is survivable.”

The radio buzzed. “ _ Raven Reyes, are you with the hundred? Over _ .”

“Oh, yeah, I am. Clarke, say hi.”

Clarke rolled her eyes, leaning over. “Hey. Who is this?”

A new voice came from the sizzling static. “ _ Clarke _ ?”

She heard Jasper groan from the other side of the room. “Jaha. Have you gone through with the execution yet?”

Octavia shot her a startled look, and Clarke remembered that she hadn’t been informed of that. She pushed that out of her mind as Jaha responded from the other side. “ _ I’m afraid your too late, Clarke. The culling commenced only fifteen minutes ago. _ ”

The mood in the room dampened. If they’d been only minutes faster, they could have prevented the deaths of hundreds. Clarke took a breath, pressing back down on the button. “Are you going to be coming down, then?”

“ _ I’ll have to discuss with the council, but I am confident we will be on the ground with you soon _ .” Looks of relief were shared throughout the group. “ _ Clarke, we got a report not even a few hours ago that you had died. What happened _ ?”

“We had to sacrifice some wristbands to build the radio. Most of us are still alive.”

“ _ And my son _ ?”

Clarke dipped her head. “I’m sorry.”

A couple beats of silence. “ _ How did he die _ ?”

Before Clarke could answer, Octavia came to lean over her shoulder. “Couldn’t kill you, so Wells died instead. Congratulations, Jaha, your son’s dead because people hate you.”

Clarke winced. She may not like Jaha, but that was harsh.

“ _ I- I understand _ .” Jaha’s voice sounded rough. “ _ I’ll have anyone who has someone to speak to come up one at a time. If you could help organize your end, it would be appreciated. _

”

“We’ll get it done.” 

“ _ Thank you, Clarke _ .” The other side clicked off, and just like that, the room was silent.

All eyes turned to Clarke.

“So. What now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Lexa this chapter. She'll be back next chapter, though.
> 
> Ranya will be a pairing in this. I'm not sure how soon or how prevalent it'll be, but it will be there.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this shit I call a chapter.


	9. Unauthorized Crashes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You heard Octavia talking about a native who’d taken her and healed her. Well, we have an answer for you. I have-”
> 
> *Boom!*
> 
> An explosion rattled the earth.

**“Remind me why we’re in the middle of the woods again?”**

Raven said, looking around nervously at the trees. “Don’t we have better stuff to do than take a stroll?”

“Well, our stroll ends here.” Clarke stopped, taking in the familiar trees. She’d been here so many times since they’d landed, she could probably find her way here blindfolded. 

“Did this tree get stabbed?” Octavia asked, touching the marks in the tree. Clarke felt a smile tug at her lips, remembering the memories of her and Lexa, but she erased it. There were better times to recall fond memories.

Her eyes caught movement behind Raven and Octavia. Lexa lowered herself down onto a branch, crouched low. Her eyes met Clarke’s. She gestured to the two girls, cocking her head in question.

Clarke pointed to Lexa and then to the ground.  _ Come here _ . Lexa nodded toward the dropship, and Clarke dipped her head yes. Lexa confirmed that yes, she would, slipping back up into the trees. Clarke turned to catch her friends’ questioning gazes.

She chuckled. “Raven. You had said something about meeting with the leaders?”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Did you just set up a meeting behind our back?”

Clarke snorted. “Yup.”

“How-” Raven yelped as someone dropped on the ground between her and Clarke. Anya stood from her crouched position, looking over the two girls in front of her. Raven put a hand on her chest, breathing heavily. “Holy hell.”

“Greetings,  _ Reivon  _ and  _ Okteivia _ ,” she said. “I am Anya,  _ Heda _ ’s top general.”

Octavia’s eyes widened. “She knows our fucking names,” she muttered.

Raven seemed to have shaken off her shock and stuck out a hand. “Hi. Nice to meet you, Anya.”

Anya only raised an eyebrow. Raven shrugged it off.

“I assume  _ Klark  _ has informed you of our agreement?” She nodded. “Good. Now why do you need us?”

Clarke felt a presence move to her side. She knew who it was without even having to look. “Anya’s very intimidating. Are you sure she’s the best one to handle this?”

Lexa’s lips twitched. “She is handling it because she’s intimidating. Can’t have your Skaikru thinking we are anything but.”

She sighed. As long as it was only for this.

“You want to introduce us to your people?”

“Basically, yeah. Back us up here, Clarke- oh shit, there’s another one.”

Clarke had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at Raven. “Yes. We’re hoping that, when we tell the delinquents about the clans, one or both of you could be with us. For proof of your existence and your amity.”

Anya turned to her. “You cannot convince your people of our existence?”

“We’ve been down here for weeks. Many won’t believe it without proof.”

“You are their leader, are you not?” Anya replied. “Make them believe. A good leader will have followers even in the most irrational of situations.”

“I am as much of a leader as they allow me to be,” Clarke said. “They don’t want to be led, they want freedom to do as they wish.”

Anya scoffed. Behind her, Lexa spoke. “Your Skaikru are lousy. They do not care for their people.”

"Their criminals, Lexa. They only care about themselves." Clarke glanced up at the sky as if she could see the Ark from there. "That's why we were sent down here instead of anyone else. We're expendable."

"It doesn't sound like your leaders care very much for their people either." Lexa twirled her knife in one hand, feeling amused as the other two skaikru took a step back. "I can't say I disapprove of them sending prisoners, but it was not a well-thought-out plan. They sent children. The people will not approve."

"Good. Maybe they'll find better leaders." Clarke tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe they can be convinced to join the  _ Kongeda _ . You'd lead them better than they lead themselves."

"I'm glad you think so highly of me, but you'd first need to inform your people of our existence. You've had good reason to keep it hidden with the- what do you call them?- delinquents in such disarray, but they must know before the rest come down."

Clarke snorted. "Because they'd be so happy that I've kept an entire population hidden from them. It’s not that simple, as much as I wish it was.”

“Which is why you want us.”

“Yes.”

“Hold on a minute,” Octavia said, still eyeing Lexa’s knife warily. “What’s the kongeda? And what do you mean she’d lead them better? I thought Anya was the leader.”

Anya looked at Octavia with contempt. “I said I was a  _ general _ , not the leader. She,” nodding to Lexa, “is the leader. And you will treat her with respect. People have been killed for daring to disrespect  _ Heda _ .”

Both girls looked alarmed, but Clarke stepped up. “That isn’t the point. What matters right now is how we will tell the delinquents about the clans.”

Lexa tilted her head. “You want us there for proof, as you already said. But what else? That cannot be all.”

“No. I want you to tell them about our agreement. What we would get in return for helping you. Hopefully, if they see that the leaders are willing to come to them and offer them peace, they will accept it.”

“A reasonable request. When would you require us?”

“We want to tell them tomorrow morning. You’ll both still be around, right?”

“ _ Sha _ .” Lexa turned to her general. “Anya, send one of your scouts to  _ Tondisi _ . Inform Indra that we may need enough supplies to provide for a hundred people. Tell her to have people ready to come here and help teach the  _ skai goufas  _ how to hunt and forage.”

Anay dipped her head, sending an unreadable look back to Raven and Octavia before leaving. The two girls looked uneasy.

Lexa looked to Clarke. “We will be there tomorrow morning. Call when you need us. My warriors will be prepared to handle any situation that may arise.”

Clarke nodded. “Thank you, Lexa.”

“Of course. I will see you tomorrow.  _ Leidon,  _ Klark, Reivon, Okteivia.” 

And then they were alone.

“Well.” Raven shifted uncomfortably. “They were… intense.”

Clarke snorted. “Anya’s like that.”

“Wait, Clarke. The leader. What did you say her name was, Lexa?” Octavia glanced up at the trees as if expecting her to drop down. “She was at the cave. With the other grounder.”

“I know. She told me you’d been taken.”

Octavia looked at her oddly. “So you’re all buddy-buddy with the leader, then?”

Clarke shrugged. “We’re friends.” It was more than that, though. She knew it. Lexa knew it. Hell, Anya probably knew it. For the leader of two potentially hostile populations, their relationship was too casual. 

At least they didn’t hate each other.

“Come on. Let’s get back to camp.” Clarke moved to walk back. “We’ll need to be well-rested if we’re going to deal with this tomorrow morning.”

-

Clarke heaved a breath, standing on the ramp to the dropship. It was morning now, and the hunting parties had just gotten back. They brought with them only a couple rabbits, as was normal. Never anything bigger.

Octavia stepped down next to her. “So. We doing this?”

“Better now than never.” She straightened up, raising her voice over the buzz of the camp. “Hey!” Heads turned. “We’ve got a couple announcements to make.”

Most people moved forward to the dropship. A couple hung back, still bitter about her alpha station position, but they listened. Bellamy hopped up beside her, looking like he wanted to argue, but a glare from Octavia kept him quiet for now.

Clarke clasped her hands together. “First off: we have made contact with the Ark. Anyone who has someone wanting to speak with them on the Ark will have the opportunity whenever the council organizes it on their end. No, that does not mean you can take off your wristbands. They still need to know who’s alive or not.

“The second announcement concerns Octavia’s disappearance.” Clarke took a deep breath, prepared for any and all reactions that she might get. “You heard Octavia talking about a native who’d taken her and healed her. Well, we have an answer for you. I have-”

_ Boom! _

An explosion rattled the earth, interrupting Clarke’s speech. All eyes turned to the sky. A flaming comet raced toward the earth. From behind her, Raven came racing out of the dropship, grasping her arm. “That’s from the Ark.” Clarke could only nod.

It sped closer and closer to the ground, nothing to slow it down. “There’s no parachute,” Clarke said, mostly to herself. “Shouldn’t there be a parachute?”

She got no response. They all watched as it, whatever it was, disappeared over the treeline. An even louder blast shook the ground. Smoke began rising only seconds later.

“What was that?” Octavia said. “Raven, what was that?”

“Something deployed from the Ark,” she said. “I don’t know what. The only other ship meant to be sent to the ground is…”

“The Exodus.” Clarke looked despairingly at the smoke plume. “But why? It didn’t even survive the landing. It’s too soon.”

“Whatever it is, we need to go and see.” Bellamy pushed past them into the dropship. “Maybe we’ll find our answers there.”

“Bellamy-” but he was already gone. Clarke cursed. “We need to check the radio. See if they can tell us what’s going on.”

“But what about the grounders?”

“It’s too late for that now. I doubt they’ll listen. Even so, it’s too much chaos to risk bringing Anya and Lexa in.” Clarke moved past them into the dropship, climbing the ladder to the top floor.”

She sat down in front of the radio, pressing the talk button. “Clarke Griffin to the Ark, come in. Ark station, do you read me?”

The radio crackled.

Clarke grit her teeth. “Earth to the Ark, come in. Do you read me?”

She began to feel desperate. She may hate her mother for killing her dad, but she still loved her. If she had been on the Exodus ship- no. She wouldn’t think about that. She wasn’t an orphan.

Not yet.

She felt someone at her shoulder. “They couldn’t all fit onto the Exodus. There have to still be people on the Ark.”

She nodded. “I know, Raven, just…”

“Your mom.” Clarke nodded. “She’s probably fine. I doubt she would just hop on the Exodus without telling you. She hadn’t even spoken with you yet.”

She nodded again. The sound of the hatch squealing open made them both turn. Octavia climbed out, holding out her hands. Each arm had multiple wristbands laying on it, all cracked open. “Everyone’s wristbands just fell off.”

“That could have to do with the Ark not answering,” Raven said. “They aren’t radioing, the wristbands fell off- there might be a malfunction in the Ark’s systems.”

Clarke furrowed her eyebrows. “What does that mean?”

“It means that the launch of the Exodus might have damaged the Ark. That could be why it crashed.” She stood up. “There’s only one way to know for sure. We’re going with Bellamy to the crash site.”

-

Much to her dismay, Bellamy refused to let Octavia on the trip.

“You’re not in charge of me, Bellamy!” She yelled. “You can’t keep me locked in here forever!”

“We don’t know what’s there!” He yelled back. “I’m not letting you go, Octavia. That’s final.”

Octavia’s face was red as she tried to argue back. Clarke laid a hand on her shoulder. “It’s no use, Octavia. Why don’t you just stay back for this?”

Octavia turned her anger on her. “Oh, so now you’re trying to protect me, too?”

“That’s not what I’m doing.” Clarke took a deep breath. “We need someone here, anyway. To keep everything in line.”

“What, you think they’ll listen to a word I say?”

“No, but try to keep them out of trouble. Maybe see if Anya or Lexa will talk with you. Arrange a time to try this again.”

Octavia sighed loudly but nodded. “Okay. Don’t have too much fun without me.”

Clarke couldn’t help feeling that something about this was wrong.

Too wrong.

-

  
It was stunning. And not in a good way.

The Exodus was demolished. The crater stretched hundreds of feet, the center a smoking heap of wreckage. Any hope of survivors was instantly crushed. It wasn’t likely there would be anything recoverable, either. The entire thing was blown to bits.

“Careful,” Raven called, already climbing down the wall of the crater. “If there’s any rocket fuel left, it could blow.”

“Lovely.” Clarke slid down the slope, picking her way around the chunks of metal and machine. “So what are we looking for?”

“Anything useful, though I doubt we’ll find it.  _ I’m  _ looking for an explanation of why it might have crashed.” Clarke nodded, silently accepting Raven’s explanation. She didn’t know much about mechanics despite her father’s position. She’d be of little help.

Instead, Clarke helped a couple others dislodge the rubble. They found nothing salvageable. Anything that hadn’t been obliterated by the explosion was either crushed or broken beyond repair. She could only hope Raven had found something of use.

“Clarke!” Raven beckoned her over from across the wreckage. Clarke made her way over, crouching down next to her. Raven gestured to the fried, blackened metal. “You see this? How the wires and the edges are all fried?”

“Yeah. What does it mean?”

  
“These are the connectors. In order for the Exodus to have launched, they would need to unhook from the Ark before the thrusters started, which requires permission from both the ship and the mainframe.” She tapped on the broken wires. “The Exodus unhooked, but the mainframe didn’t. In launching, the Exodus was torn off the Ark. It made the ship malfunction and crash.”

Realization dawned on her. “It was an unauthorized launch.”

“Exactly. It could be why communication’s down, too. It’s impossible to tell for sure, but if the Exodus took so much damage, the Ark could have taken just as much.”

“Hey!” Bellamy was waving at them from outside the crater. “We’re leaving.”

Raven scooped into her arms an assortment of pieces. She took in Clarke’s desperate look and offered her a smile. “They’ll make it through this. If we could survive a nuclear apocalypse, they can survive this.”

Clarke nodded, smiling flatly. “Thanks, Rae.”

“Always. Now let’s see how much trouble they got into while we were gone.”

-

A lot, apparently.

“Clarke! Raven!” Octavia crashed through the trees, skidding to a stop in front of them, panting.

“O!” Bellamy stepped up to her, grabbing her wrist. “O, what’s going on.”

Octavia ignored him, looking at Clarke. “Murphy. He came back, and he told them all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was okay!
> 
> I was going to write more (and did) but I felt this was the perfect cliffhanger. Murphy? When is he not a problem?
> 
> Anyway, hopefully the meeting was okay. I know I still haven't explained exactly how and why Lexa and Anya are out there, and we're getting there, but I feel like they're kind of OOC.
> 
> Only one or two more chapters until we get to the mountain men plot! I may go back and rewrite certain parts after we finish what I've been calling the 'dropship plot' but this story's far from over! I have no idea when I'm going to end it, but it's not anytime soon.
> 
> Tell me what you think!


	10. Authors Note

God I hate making these.

I'm gonna be real with you here. I don't know when this story will get updated.

Don't get me wrong, I love it, and I would hate to discontinue it, but I did such a _terrible job_ plotting this that I'm not really sure where to go from here. I have up until the end of part one plotted out, and then nothing. Ideas. That's it. Not even including that, the first part needs a major rewrite if I'm going to take it anywhere that _isn't_ just a knockoff of the actual show.

That doesn't mean I'm discontinuing it. I promise you I'll finish this up at some point.

I'm just not feeling up to it right now.

This quarantine is fucking with my head and I know I could have it so much worse than I do, but I feel useless, I'm so damn touch starved that it hurts, I feel guilty about things I know I shouldn't, and I just have this growing hole in my chest that comes back every time I sit down with nothing to do. 

Writing helps.

Trying to write/rewrite a story I have no idea what to do with does not.

So yes, this will get updated, rewritten, at some point, I promise, but just _not now_.

Sorry.

Hope you understand.


End file.
